Demons and Angels
by Aljan Moonfire
Summary: When Kyoko is cast as the angel that falls for the demon in her mortal enemy's music video, she never would have guessed the consequences. She hated Fuwa Shotaro, more than anything else in this world! Right? For some reason, she wasn't so sure any more... AU, and eventual OOC.
1. Casting Call

**_Aljan Moonfire does not own Skip Beat._**

****"Speaking."

'_Thinking.'_

.-. - Scene Break

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 1 – Casting Call<strong>

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><p>The bright afternoon sun hung high in the sky, shining brightly through the occasional cloud and into the Talent Section cubicles of the high-rise LME building. Sawara Takenori basked momentarily in the light, grateful for the moment of peace. It would likely be the only one he'd get for a while once his most troublesome – not to mention most utterly terrifying – talent arrived.<p>

He had never met anyone even remotely like Mogami Kyoko before their first encounter – he shuddered reflexively at the memory - and, if he was lucky, he prayed he never would again.

Not that she wasn't a fairly talented actress - especially considering her handicaps in certain areas - but quite honestly the girl frightened him to death, especially when she was angry or excited about something. Her bi-polar nature actually exceeded that of his absolutely insane boss, something he'd previously thought impossible.

Fortunately, before his thoughts went too far down that despairing track, the ringing of a telephone brought him back to reality. Then a co-worker walked by, smiling, and called out his name.

"Sawara-san?"

"Yes?" he replied, looking over at the younger man that had spoken.

"I saw a discussion on TV this morning about the Curara commercial." He said, shifting the small stack of paperwork in his hands closer to his chest.

"Really?"

"They were saying that it's just as good as the other commercials airing for the product."

"Seriously?" he grinned, swiftly hiding his slight surprise. No matter how uneasy Kyoko may make him, he was always happy for his talents when a job was a success.

"Yeah. Apparently everything's going really well there." The younger man smirked at him slightly and continued, "You can relax some, Manager."

Sawara laughed at that, slightly sheepish, "Was it that obvious? Because those two are from the 'Love Me' Section, I was a bit nervous about it…"

"But maybe due to the commercial, they'll get other jobs as well!" the other man commented, trying to distract the older man from his past anxiety.

Sawara smiled at him and answered, "You're right; that commercial was shot very well."

His conversation was then interrupted by a person from the calling stations looking over and saying, "M-manager! Please pick up line 3!"

"Oh?" he made a surprised sound of inquiry.

"It's from Queen Records." The man responded to the unasked question.

"Queen Records? What's a music company calling our Talent Section for?" Sawara asked.

"That, um…," he paused, checking the notes he'd taken for the call, "They said that after seeing Curara's commercial that they want to use the two actresses featured in it…and the call was likely redirected here because they are from the Love Me Section." The young man continued, phone still clutched in his hand.

"Manager!" the man he had been speaking with exclaimed, eyes widening in shock, "A job really came!"

Sawara paused thoughtfully, not immediately responding. "Why do they want them?" he finally asked.

"Those two?" at Sawara's nod he glanced back down at the notes. "Err…it seems they want them for a music video for a new single."

"And the artist?" the Talent manager asked, an uneasy feeling settling somewhere in the pit of his stomach.

"…Fuwa Sho."

Sawara immediately blanched, any and all color leaching from his face.

.-.

Elsewhere, three very different people sneezed, almost simultaneously.

One was an older teenage girl with long, dark hair who shivered slightly in her much-hated, bright pink jumpsuit, hoping that she wasn't coming down with a cold.

The other was a small girl of around sixteen in a high-school uniform, who was just entering the LME building's lobby. She immediately blamed it on the dark-haired man she'd just left behind in frustration, and hoped she hadn't caught his cold. She'd never be able live it down if she had.

The last was a tall man with bleached blond hair and sunglasses, who absentmindedly wiped his nose on his sleeve as he stared up at a large screen on the side of a tall skyscraper. His eyes narrowed behind the dark lenses on the small, short-haired girl in the commercial currently playing on the giant screen.

'_Kyoko…?'_

.-.

_The Next Day…4:30 pm…_

"Huh?" the loud exclamation of surprise was generally ignored by the people around them; the people of the Talent Section had finally gotten used to the oddities of one of LME's newest talents.

"Sorry," Mogami Kyoko growled, her eyes furrowing into angered slits and what might have been a polite smile under any other circumstances stretching her mouth into an equally creepy grimace as she focused her entire attention of Sawara Takenori. "I'm not entirely sure I heard you correctly…"

Said man gulped nervously under her intent glare as she continued, an oddly calm voice in the back of his head wondering how someone saying something in such a polite way could be so very, very scary. "Could you please repeat what you just said…?"

"Uh…Um…" he gulped nervously again, "What I'm trying to say is…" he licked his lips, "Is that someone asked very specifically for you and Kotonami-san…"

He hesitated again, bewildered by her reaction. '_Strange…Her reaction really isn't what I was expecting…'_

Soon enough though, he continued, prodded on by her intensifying glare. "When they saw your commercial they wanted to try use the two of you in a music video, so could you…" he paused again as the strange, dark aura around the young talent intensified and a vein began to pulse in her forehead.

'_Do they think I'm some sort of product?' _The sixteen year old thought furiously. "Please reject it for me!" she said emphatically, shoulders hunched and fists clenched.

"Huh?" Sawara made his own exclamation of surprise at this, not expecting this answer at all. "Why?" he asked, stunned. "Don't you know that this is for Fuwa Sho's PV? You'll be able to meet him in person! Aren't you his fan?"

This time not sensing the impending danger, the Talent Manager continued, "And, in getting the chance to act along-side the extremely popular Sho, your own popularity will see a major boo –"

"There –" she interrupted, her voice rising swiftly in volume, "is no way I'd want something like that!" As she screamed the final word, she completely lost control of herself, her little demon minions escaping her body to wreak havoc on the world around her, actually completely shattering a nearby window and sending the glass outwards to land on the street below.

.-.

The next morning found the teen still grumbling about it under her breath as she pulled on the short sleeved version of her bright pink Love Me uniform. The rant rumbling in her chest finally erupted from her in a very audible explosion as she violently slammed the door of her locker shut.

"Why do I have to act in that bastard's PV? I don't want to! Even if I do want to become famous, I don't want to be helped by that bastard on my way there!" Turning away from her locker sharply, she continued, "And I – I…" Kyoko slowly trailed off into silence, remembering her resolution.

'_I wanted to be his equal in this world before I met him again! How can I stand before him otherwise?'_ she thought despairingly, biting her lip in frustration, '_I've only just finished shooting my first commercial! I still have such a long way to go…'_

For a moment she just sat there, her face in her hands, remembering once again how that horrid boy – man now, she supposed - had used her, and then thrown her away like yesterday's old trash. "I hate you, Fuwa Shotaro…" she whispered angrily, despairingly, into her hands.

Soon enough though, she was distracted from her dark thoughts by the sound of the door of the Love Me Section staff room opening with a sharp click. "Ah!" Kyoko said, "Moko-san! Good morning." Her frown didn't disappear the way it usually did upon sighting her best friend, but the greeting came out reflexively.

Clearly she wasn't the only one acting differently than usual, as Kotonami Kanae didn't even acknowledge the nickname she usually found annoying with even the slightest of frowns. She walked right past her younger friend in a daze, heading towards the table that had been set up on the other side of the room.

Kyoko though, continued to speak, the frown still not leaving her face, "Moko-san, have they told you anything about the PV thing?" she asked anxiously, following the other girl to the table. "You know, Fuwa Sho's PV?"

Even though the brunette teen didn't seem to answer, Kyoko continued to chatter at her about it, "Moko-san, what do you plan on doing? You're not thinking of agreeing are you?" she wondered, suddenly horrified at the thought.

Finally noticing her friend's odd mood when she didn't get an answer, Kyoko watched, concerned, as the taller girl sat herself in one of the chairs with a light thud. Kanae didn't look at her friend even then, continuing to stare blankly into the distance, mouth slightly open, and fingers curling lightly around the hem of her white mini-skirt.

"Moko-san…?" the lighter haired girl asked, worried, "What's wrong?"

"Work…" Kanae finally murmured, as if to herself.

"Huh?"

"I…got a job…" she said a bit louder, finally blinking. "A drama…"

"Ehhh?" Kyoko shouted, shocked. "Really, Moko-san?" flushed with excitement for her friend, Kyoko temporarily forgot about her own problems. "Amazing! You're already walking down the road of a true actress!" she exclaimed.

Finally back in the lower hemisphere, Kanae immediately rejected the excessive praise. "It's not that amazing, and it's not even that big of a role." She said. "It's only a short two-hour drama." As Kyoko calmed down, she continued, "I heard that after they saw the Curara commercial, they thought I'd fit the role really well."

Looking away she said, "I also heard that the actress that was supposed to have my role was fired so they could replace her with me."

"Wow," Kyoko responded, shocked again, "So cruel…so things like that really do happen in show business."

"Apparently she was a newbie, much like me," Kanae commented, "but because her agency isn't a big company, I got the job instead – at least according to the main office."

'_Uwah…_' Kyoko thought, eyes wide, '_I didn't know the bigger companies had such influence…thank goodness I chose LME…'_

"But, I…I don't think that taking away someone else's role is such a bad thing," Kanae continued, recapturing her friend's attention. "Because I...really want to act. I want to be someone who's able to act all day, every day…who only needs to act for their entire career."

The brunette had closed her eyes at some point as she described her dream, but she now opened them, looking determinedly into the distance. "That's why I won't get emotional when I have to use other people for stepping stones."

Kyoko's eyes widened as she thought back to when she had overheard Shotarou and his manager talking about her…he had called _her_ a stepping stone then…

Kanae continued speaking though, oblivious to Kyoko's inner conflict, "That's why I rejected Fuwa Sho's PV." She said, touching her chin in thought. "The drama stars filming next week."

'_That's right…'_ Kyoko thought, '_I was used by that bastard…'_

"So, I want to concentrate on acting." Kanae said, still oblivious. '_I don't want such a boring job wasting my time and energy either,' _she carefully didn't say.

'_Since that's the case, this time I'll be using him!' _Kyoko thought furiously.

"So what do you want to do?" Kanae asked, "Do we both have to accept the role for this job?"

"Accept!" Kyoko yelled in answer, "No matter what, I have to accept this job!"

"…Okay." Kanae said, used to her antics. '_Not that I didn't already know the answer,'_ she thought, '_but this sort of reaction is so annoying…She sure isn't bashful when it comes to Fuwa Sho…'_

.-.

'_Heh…"To have a chance to act alongside the extremely popular Fuwa Sho in his newest music video"? You couldn't be more wrong!'_ Kyoko thought as she told Sawara of her acceptance of the job, as well as Kanae's rejection of it. '_I'm not going there to act this time! Instead, I'm going to use that idiot's PV to make myself famous!'_

Sawara put down the phone, and turned to look at her. He made an okay sign with his fingers and said, "It doesn't need to be the both of you," before watching indulgently as she spun herself into a few ballet spins in celebration. '_She's really happy…it must have been some sort of strange façade before…geez…she really is a hard-core Fuwa Sho fan…'_

If only he knew what she was really thinking as she twirled happily around the room…

'_I will never, ever be produced by Shotaro! Instead I'll steal the camera's attention from him in his own music video! Watch out! This time it's your turn to be my stepping stone, Fuwa Shotaro!'_

.-.

_Meanwhile…Queen Records Corporation…_

The screen of the TV moved with sound as Kyoko spun into view with a bottle of Curara in hand. She froze mid-movement as the very male hand holding the remote pressed pause. "Hmmm…"

"It's rare to see you actually concentrating on something like that," a low female voice interrupted the man's thoughts. The woman who had spoken was tall and slender, with a large chest not at all disguised by the strict white formal work shirt she wore. Her long, elegant, pale brown hair was pulled back into a loose ponytail, a few stands escaping to tease her cheeks. Simple spectacles perched on her nose, and a teasing smile turned up the corners of her red painted mouth.

"With your personality you generally don't pay any attention to television commercials." She continued. "I will admit though, that that commercial has turned into a popular topic – or rather, those two girls have turned it into a popular topic." She then commented more to the woman standing on the other side of the counter she had leaned on than the man she was originally talking to.

The other woman was also a brunette, but her hair was much darker color and pinned up into a loose style on the back of her head. She had folded her arms loosely across her chest, shrugging her shoulder bag up higher on her left shoulder.

The man didn't reply for a moment, but then asked, "This girl is called 'Kyoko', right?"

"Yes," the seemingly talkative woman replied. "It's written with Tokyo's 'kyo' and kodomo(children)'s 'ko'. I don't know if that's her real name though. Why? Are you interested in her?" she asked. "She's not the type of girl you usually show interest in."

Fuwa Sho narrowed his eyes at the smiling face on the TV screen. "It's not that…" he muttered.

The long-haired woman laughed softly, "But, you're more interested in her than the one with the longer hair." She commented. When the male seemed to ignore her, she decided to say something to get his attention.

"The long-haired girl turned down the job offer," she said lightly.

She immediately got the reaction she was looking for when he turned around and shouted, "What?"

"She turned down the offer?" he then asked incredulously, "What's that supposed to mean?" Grinding his teeth in frustration, he continued, "It's _My_ PV! Is there something wrong with her?"

"Sorry," the woman said. "I suppose I chose the wrong person." She shrugged, standing up straight. '_I also liked the long-haired girl more…Of course I'd hoped that the both of them would accept, but I didn't really have the guts to turn down the other girl since it was me who went to them first. LME is not to be messed with in such a manner.'_

Crossing her arms in much the same way the other woman had, she continued to ponder the situation, pouting slightly at the way things had turned out. '_That's not even mentioning that I've heard that those two girls are Takarada's current favorites. If I'd known sooner I might not have asked for them…'_

Then the other woman finally spoke up, saying, "If that's the case, Haruki-chan, we must find another girl quickly."

Said woman, now named, replied, agreeing, "You're right, Shoko-chan."

"I might have a person in mind," Sho then interjected.

"Oh, really?" Haruki asked, interested.

"Yeah. I'm not sure if you'll be happy with her though…"

"Don't worry. Just tell me her name and I'll try it with her."

"Shoko-san knows; ask her." He said to Haruki, and then to Shoko, "Shoko-san, that pochiri girl…"

"Alright, I got it." The woman replied, shaking her head slightly in exasperation. "'Pochiri', eh?"

But Sho was no longer listening, his focus now returned to the picture of the girl shivering on the TV screen. '_Kyoko…'_ he mused. '_After looking at it for so long, I really feel that this could be her…but is it really…?'_

He shifted slightly on the chair he was sitting backwards on, thoughts of the sweet girl that had been his childhood friend running rampant through his mind. '_Only the hair style and color are really different, but could something like that lead to such a huge transformation? I probably wouldn't have recognized her even if I'd bumped into her on the street, she's so different when compared to before…'_

'_But if it were really her then there's no way she would accept this job…right?' _ Then a smile that could easily be termed evil crossed his lips and was quickly hidden behind his arms. '_Unless, it was for revenge…' _ His thoughts paused on that for a moment before quickly speeding up.

'_Interesting…Let's see what you can do to me…But in the end I'll make you realize that no matter how hard you try, you will never be able to even touch me! Excellent! I can see her miserable face already…!'_

The musician was careful to keep his evil laughter inside as his eyes narrowed further on the picture of the girl before him.

To the side though, the two women completely misconstrued his focus on the picture of the girl, especially Haruki. '_He's completely mesmerized…Is he really that interested in that short haired girl?'_

Sho once again chuckled inwardly. '_I can't wait…Come and get me, Kyoko!'_

.-.

_The Next Day…Queen Records…_

Seething with many different conflicting emotions, it was an angry and determined Kyoko that showed up at Queen Records the next morning in her standard florescent pink Love Me uniform. In her state of agitation, a few of her dark minions escaped her control and floated close around her as she entered what she instinctively termed the enemy's stronghold.

This was it.

She quickly made her way across the lobby to the reception desk, and did her very best to calm her angry spirits before introducing herself as politely as she could.

"My name is Kyoko. I'm here to participate in Fuwa Sho's PV," she said, hoping that she had said the bastard's name as politely as she had the rest of the sentence.

The receptionist quickly recovered, and turned back to her computer to verify her statement. "It seems that everything is in order." She said at last, and rose to her feet. "I will guide you to the meeting room."

Kyoko gave a polite bow of thanks, and was soon following her guide as she turned in the direction of the elevator.

.-.

_Meanwhile…_

Tsuruga Ren stared at his manager in shock, still attempting to process what the man had just said. "Re…really?"

"Yeah. The look you gave her was soft enough to melt the heart of even the most coldhearted girl." Yashiro Yukihito deadpanned.

"I-Is that so…" he replied, still flustered. '_I didn't think I looked at Mogami-san in any particular way, let alone like that…It's probably just because that misunderstanding between us has been cleared up…'_ he thought.

"Hey, Ren-san! C'mon!" the staff member that had been standing just in front of him a moment ago had somehow managed to advance a good ten feet without him noticing. "C'mon!" he motioned again.

"Ah…" he acknowledged the man with a nod before turning to Yashiro; "It looks like we should get going," he said, making a good attempt at changing the subject, "the bus might leave us behind…"

"Ren." When the taller man had turned back to the manager, he continued, "There's something else I want to ask…"

"Alright," he replied, "you can ask me later." He smiled at Yashiro and turned forward to move up in the line, his thoughts once again turning towards his clumsy kohai.

'_I see her in a new light now, I admit,'_ he thought, '_but I feel happier about her learning to act now that I know it's not for Fuwa Sho anymore. The truth is, I don't really want her to use revenge as her motive for learning to act. Everyone only has once chance at living a precious life; if she were using revenge to push herself forward, it would be such a waste…'_

Upon boarding the bus, Ren claimed a window seat close to the back and turned to look out it as he continued to think about Mogami Kyoko. '_Even so, they shouldn't meet again; her and Fuwa Sho…So like ice, with time, her feelings for him will melt, little by little…If they don't meet again, she'll eventually forget about him…If they don't meet…'_

.-.

Kyoko took a moment to compose herself outside the meeting room door before opening it and taking look around. The long conference table that took up the entire middle of the room was filled almost to capacity, and everyone sitting at it turned to look at her when they heard the door open.

Before she could catch sight of Shotarou, she quickly gave the entire room a small bow and introduced herself. "Good morning, my name is Kyoko." Then turning to the closest person, she carefully restrained herself at the sight of her childhood friend's manager. "If you would point me to my seat…"

Shoko smiled, a bit charmed by the girl's politeness. It was certainly a change from her normal charge's attitude. "It's Shoko, Aki Shoko. There's an empty seat just over there." She gestured at a seat close to the other side of the room, and thankfully not too close to her mortal enemy, Fuwa Shotarou.

Her eyes narrowed at the sight of him, but she quickly did her best to ignore him as she past by his chair. The simple strategy may have even worked, had the man not reached out to grab her arm as she past by him.

"Aren't you going to introduce yourself to me?" he asked; a mocking lilt tingeing his voice in a way only that Shoko and Kyoko caught.

She took a deep breath and stepped away from his grasp before turning to him and introducing herself once again. "My name is Kyoko, and of course I know who you are, Fuwa Sho." She gave him the smallest bow she could with seeming impolite and finished with a, "I look forward to working with you."

Then, imagining him to be anyone but who he actually was, she gave him her brightest smile and turned to continue to her seat.

She let out a soft sigh of relief once she was a decent distance away from him, the smile swiftly leaving her face. '_Good, he doesn't seem to have realized who I am yet…'_ she thought, relaxing a bit.

She was entirely unaware of the narrowed eyes of her enemy staring at her with both suspicion and uncertainty.

.-.

Fuwa Sho was confused.

To be honest, he was also a bit angry and bewildered as well.

She had smiled at him. She had even bowed…Not that there was anything thing wrong with a girl smiling at him or bowing in general, but…

This girl… Is she really Kyoko?

After watching that commercial over and over again, he was all but convinced that the girl with the short, light hair was his former best friend/almost fiancé. So, when he met her, he was expecting anything but a smile and politeness.

He was more prepared for insults and that weird, intensely angry aura that had surrounded her the last time they'd met.

He was really confused; and if there was one thing Fuwa Sho hated, it was being confused. So, he turned his attention away from the confusing girl to something he was a lot more comfortable with; a pretty girl panting for his attention.

"Sho-chan?" the pretty, long-haired brunette asked worriedly, "Is something wrong?"

"Nah, it's nothing, Pochiri." He replied, but still had trouble looking away from the confusing girl.

"Do you know Kyoko?" she persisted, anxiety clouding her eyes.

Nanokura Mimori flushed slightly at what she saw as an affectionate nick-name, but still glanced nervously at her classmate. '_What is she doing here..?_' she wondered, jealous of the way the seemingly plain girl had captured the attention of the object of her affections.

She shifted nervously when he paused before answering, "…No." then he turned to look at her more directly, noticing how familiarly she'd used the other girl's name. "Do you know her?"

"Yes, she's in my Performing Arts class."

He raised an eyebrow at that, surprised. '_I wonder…'_ "Do you know her surname then?"

"Yes…" She hesitated for a moment and then, just before she could answer, the door of the conference room swung open once again.

Standing in the doorway was the same tall, elegant woman that Sho and Shoko had been speaking with the day before. Today she had traded the work shirt for a flowery blouse, and had a few folders of what looked to be important papers held in her arms.

She quickly moved around the room to stand at the head of the long table and set the files down there. "Good morning everyone," she began. "My name is Asami Haruki and I am the director of this music video."

Kyoko's eyes widened in shock at this announcement. '_No…way… The director's a woman…?' _she thought. '_But, wow…actually meeting her must be a one-in-a-lifetime chance! Her work is really popular – I've researched everything about her, watched all of her videos and dramas; I've even memorized the names of her main staff…but if I had never met her, I would have kept on thinking she was a guy, because of her name.' _

Her eyes then shifted suspiciously to Sho, and she felt an eyebrow twitch when she found him blatantly checking her out; she had no doubt he'd be making some sort of move on her by now if it weren't for the situation. Not that it was all that surprising… '_A shocking F-cup…long, slender legs…and a tiny waist…She's the type of woman Sho loves the most!' _

Shaking off more angry thoughts of Shotaro, Kyoko quickly returned her attention back to what the director was saying. "The video we will be filming to day is for Sho's newest single, 'Prisoner'. It will be done in a story format, and the main plot is going to be a fantasy in setting…"

As she began to carefully explain the story, Kyoko began to imagine it herself…

.-.

…_In Kyoko's Mind…_

_There are two beautiful, kind angels who are the best of friends. One day, while separated from her friend, one of the angels encounters a demon. Though naturally fighting at first, being natural enemies as they are, they slowly fall for each other over the course of several meetings. _

_It is not long after the two begin to meet each other deliberately and often, now completely and blindly in love, that the other angel finds out about their relationship, having seen them together. _

_She is completely and utterly horrified by it. _

_There is a reason why angels and demons are mortal enemies, and have never been anything else: close contact between the two is deadly to the angel in question, much like a very virulent disease. If the first angel continues to be with the demon, her death is inevitable. _

_Soon enough, the second angel confronts her friend about it, but they both come away from said confrontation with very different resolves. _

_The first angel quickly comes to the realization that being with her demon lover is more important than her own life. She soon resolves to stay by his side, no matter what happens. _

_The second angel, terrified for the well being of her friend, resolves to kill the demon that has seduced the sister of her heart should they not stay away from each other – no matter the consequences to herself. _

_Not long after this, the first angel and the demon meet again and the first angel does not tell him of the consequences of them being together, thinking it better that he not know. _

_Having followed her friend, the second angel waits patiently for her to leave before confronting the demon with the knowledge of what will happen to the first angel should they continue to be together on her lips; her resolve to kill him welling in her heart. Shocked by the revelation, the demon allows her to kill him; accepting death if it will allow his lover to live. _

_Her pure heart stained by the dark blood on her hands, the angel swiftly goes insane; her soul corrupted by the murder of her best friend's beloved. She is now a Fallen Angel, with wings as dark as night. _

_Having forgotten something – a ribbon, or a piece of jewelry maybe - in the place she had trysted with her demon love, the first angel soon stumbles upon the horrifying scene and, temporarily driven mad with grief, kills her now insane best friend. _

_Mere moments later the first angel realizes what she has done, and commits suicide out of both grief and guilt, hoping that maybe in another life she will be able to see her most precious lover and her best friend again. _

_An indeterminable amount of time later, on Earth, the two angels, once again best friends/sisters, meet the demon again; all of them human this time. The first angel and the demon's eyes meet, and they are once again held prisoner in each other's gaze…_

.-.

As the director began to wind down and get into more of the technicalities of how the filming will be done, Kyoko finally came out of her daze. '_What a beautiful story!'_ she thought, beginning to get excited, '_And I'll get to be one of the angels too!' _

"Now then," the director finally said, having long since sat down, "All that left is to decide who is going to be who."

'_I'm going to need as much screen time as possible in this, if I'm going to make my impact greater than Sho's,'_ Kyoko quickly calculated. '_That means I need to be…'_

"I'll be the angel that falls in love with the demon," she volunteered, dismissing any instinctive uneasiness at her choice. This was for the sake of her revenge!

The director nodded, making note of it. "Very well; then you'll be the other angel, Mimori-chan," she said to the girl sitting beside Sho.

She made to protest at receiving the more violent role, but subsided at a wordless warning from her manager. None the less, an upset pout made its way onto her face and with the familiar expression came recognition on Kyoko's part. '_She's…She's in my Performing Arts class! Oh no; she knows my last name!'_ This was a disaster!

As the cast and crew rose from their seats, Kyoko realized that she'd missed an important piece of information. "Um, Asami-san?" she asked once she'd managed to get close enough.

"Yes?"

"Who will be playing the demon's role?" she asked.

"You didn't hear me say it earlier?" she replied, amused. So the girl had volunteered without knowing…

"The demon will be played…" she said, "by Fuwa Sho." She gestured to the man in question.

Kyoko's mind went blissfully blank for a moment in shock, before her blood suddenly began roaring in her ears.

"What?"

* * *

><p>…<em>And now for an Omake…<em>

Kyoko's demon minions gathered underneath a large banner that proudly proclaimed:

~ A Meeting by Kyoko's Demons for Kyoko's Sake ~

Their discussion had been going on for awhile, and was just coming to a conclusion. Finally the lead demon decided to begin a summary of the main points of discussion and dissention.

"The first step to defeating Sho: Use him!" she declared, and then pointed this out clearly on the white board that had suddenly appeared behind her.

"But we can't let him find out…" another pointed out.

"And the possibility of that is very high," a third apparition finished.

Yet a fourth nodded, agreeing. "We'll have to be very careful…"

"And, we definitely have to hide the fact that we're out for revenge." The lead spirit said.

The others quickly began to mutter about that; they would much rather just strangle him to death and be done with it.

"It _is_ important that we remember that…"

"…so we can get our revenge…"

"…and we definitely have to…"

"What we need to do," the lead demon said over the mumbled angst, "Is be polite to him – it's the last thing he'd expect from the Kyoko he met when he betrayed us."

"You mean," piped up a demon that had yet to speak, "That we'll have to keep on…_smiling_ at him?" she half yelled in horror.

"…Yes."

There was much initial disagreement with this conclusion, but eventually it was agreed that it was the best solution.

_Be polite, Kyoko! We're rooting for you! _

They then returned to their most regular occupation; the muttering of endless curses against the being named Fuwa Sho.

* * *

><p><strong>~ Author's Note ~<strong>

Well, another story, and one that I think will be very different from the ones I already have posted. As you might be able to tell, the primary question that became this story is "What if Kyoko had been cast as the angel that falls in love with the demon, instead of the one killing him?" and this is the result. I decided to make the main divergence here though; "What would have happened if the attendant hadn't made a mistake, and taken Kyoko to the correct room?" It just seems to work better that way.

I'm actually pretty unsure of the exact direction I'll lead this story in after the 'Prisoner' video at the moment though, and am open to any and all suggestions except for one thing. The main pairing of this story is Sho x Kyoko. This is nonnegotiable; mostly because I have read so many Ren x Kyoko fics lately that I've become extremely fed up with said pairing.

Suggestions for anything else though are welcome, as I said.

I hope you enjoyed this first chapter.

~ Aljan Moonfire ~


	2. Battles of Heaven and Hell

**_Aljan Moonfire does not own Skip Beat!_**

"Speaking."

'_Thinking._'

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 2 - Battles of Heaven and Hell<strong>

* * *

><p>"Um, Asami-san?" Kyoko asked, finally managing to get close enough to the other woman after the crowd that had surrounded the director dispersed a bit.<p>

"Yes?"

"Who will be playing the demon's role?" she asked.

"You didn't hear me say it earlier?" she replied, amused. So the girl had volunteered without knowing…

"The demon will be played…" she said, "by Fuwa Sho." She gestured to the man in question, who smirked back, not really paying attention to Mimori, who had attached herself to one of his arms and was chattering away at him. She seemed to be complaining about the role she'd gotten stuck with by not speaking up sooner.

Kyoko's mind went blissfully blank for a moment in shock at the name of her new co-star, before her blood suddenly began roaring in her ears.

"What?"

Asami looked very startled by the hissed exclamation. "Is…something wrong, Kyoko-san?" she asked, feeling a bit uneasy under the sudden glare, and wondering what she had said to upset her.

The question actually managed to snap the teenager out of her immediate reactionary anger. "No…nothing at all," She paused, before asking quietly, "Are you sure?"

She raised an eyebrow at the question. She was the director, of course she was sure! "Yes." She looked keenly at Kyoko's still troubled face. "Is there going to be a problem with that?"

"…No, of course not." She answered. '_I just want to quit right now because of that…of course I don't have a problem with it!_' she thought sarcastically. She then rubbed distractedly at her temple. "I do have a small headache though, if I may be excused?"

Asami nodded. "Of course. The bathroom is two doors down on the left."

As Kyoko left the room Sho wandered over to Asami, leaving behind his puppy-like fangirl without a second thought. "So what was that about, Asami-san?" he asked, wrapping an arm around her waist.

"I'm really not sure…" she answered, still bewildered. She did not resist the affectionate action, though she didn't respond to it either. "She just… She seemed strangely upset about you playing the demon…"

Sho turned his head sharply to look at the door Kyoko had disappeared through, slowly processing this new information. '_…Maybe you really are her…?'_ he wondered. After all, Mogami Kyoko was the only girl he could think of that might be upset at acting the part of his lover.

He then turned back to Mimori. He really needed to know her real name now… He had to be sure.

.-.

As her hands slammed down onto the long bathroom counter with a harsh smack, Kyoko lifted her head to observe her own flushed face in the mirror. Panic glinted desperately in her eyes, and she grimaced half-heartedly at the sight before dropping her head down again to glare at her trembling hands.

She still couldn't process what had just happened – how could it have happened? And she couldn't even logically blame Shotaro for this! She had _volunteered _herself for this humiliation! But there was no way in heaven or hell that she could do this!

How could she ever act like – like – like she was in l-l-l – she couldn't even finish the awful thought in her _head_!

She took a deep breath.

How could she ever act like she was in l-l-lo-_love _with _Fuwa Shotaro!_

There, she got it out – and it sounded even worse in a coherent thought!

In _love_ with that arrogant, playboy pretty boy? Never, ever again! Hadn't she sworn it?

She shook her head furiously, making her short, orange-red hair lash against her face. It was utterly impossible! Completely, amazingly, awfully, _entirely _impossible! She – she just _couldn't_.

But she _had to_.

_How_ could this have happened?

And how the hell could she do this? But she couldn't _not_ do this either… She thought furiously for a moment… The director had asked for her specifically; she couldn't just back out now that she had accepted the role… She really needed to talk to someone about this…

And then a light bulb went off in her head; she had someone that she could talk to about anything now, right? She had a best friend now! Surely she'd know what to do!

She quickly pulled out her cell-phone and dialed the number.

"Hello, you've reached the voicemail of Kotonami Kanae. Please leave a message after the tone…"

Beep.

Kyoko gaped for a moment at the automated response before remembering that Kanae was also at a job at the moment. She left a quick message, making sure than Kanae would call her back, and sighed.

She really needed to talk to her… There wasn't anyone else she could ask for advice about something like this…

Then she had a weird thought...

She reached down into her pocket and pulled out the mini Tsuruga Ren she had stuffed in there earlier. There was a Sho doll in there as well, just in case she couldn't contain herself and had to curse him unobtrusively later on.

For now though, she focused on the Ren doll. She really wanted to, but she couldn't possibly trouble him…right?

Besides, she didn't even know his number. Even if she did though, he was also working so she'd likely only get his voicemail too…

.-.

Five minutes later she had his number and was dialing.

Ring…ring…ring…ring…ring…

"The number you have dialed is unavailable at the moment. Please leave a message after the beep…"

As expected…

'_And to think I specifically asked Supervisor Matsu for his number too…'_

Beep

"Uh - ummm… This is Kyoko. You must be working very hard right now, and I'm sorry to disturb you. I'm calling because I really need your help with something. Actually I…"

She paused then, suddenly horrified.

'_Oh…my god… what do I tell him? That I'm about to film a music video with my worst enemy? That on top of that I'm going to have to act as his lover? That I only accepted the job to begin with because I wanted to take revenge on Shotaro? I just told him a few days ago that I was no longer acting for revenge, but for my own sake. I'd be completely contradicting myself!_'

An aura of intense gloom immediately surrounded her. There's no way she could tell him that! Why hadn't she thought of this before!

- Kacha! Du…du…du…du…

"Uwah…It…it got cut off…" she winced. '_And I left a message that makes no sense…'_

"Kyoko-chan?"

"Eh?" She looked up to see Shoko standing in the restroom's doorway.

"Are you alright?" she asked, moving fully into the room.

Kyoko quickly shoved her phone into her pocket and said, "Yes. I just took some headache medicine."

"That's good." Shoko replied. "Everyone's decided to take a small break for now, so you can use this chance to get to know everyone better."

"I'll do that." Kyoko said with her calmest smile.

When Shoko disappeared into one of the stalls Kyoko dropped the smile and took one last look at her reflection, smoothing out her ruffled hair. '_All right, it will work out somehow,_' she told herself. '_Just stay calm…'_

And so she put back on her polite mask and exited the room.

.-.

"She's such a pain…" Mimori muttered, twisting open a bottle of Curara, uncaring or unaware that the girl she was insulting had been one of the stars in one of the foremost commercials for the drink. "She's probably using her company's power to keep the good role," she grumbled.

"Hmm?" Sho grunted, tired of the girl's chattering.

"Yup!" She tapped her feet together lightly, cheering up slightly at the prospect of gossip. They were both unaware of Kyoko entering the room, as the door was behind them.

"I actually heard," she continued in a lower voice, "That in that commercial she was in, there was a girl from another, smaller, company that also wanted the role. It seems they had some kind of competition and she won, but there's no way it could have gone that smoothly. I'll bet you anything that she used her company's power to get the role for herself, and she's probably doing the same thing here."

"Oh yeah," Sho responded, glad to finally get some decent information on Kyoko out of the girl, "Now that you mention it, she's from LME, isn't she?"

"Exactly!"

Kyoko stepped back out and hid behind the doorjamb, a knot of anger pulsing in her forehead. Still, she continued to listen.

"LME!" Mimori now seemed to have momentarily turned her attention from gossiping about Kyoko to gossiping about said girl's company. "I heard that that company only had to look at Tsuruga Ren's face and see how handsome he was before they accepted him."

'_Only the face, and how good-looking he was…'_ Kyoko mused, a sweatdrop making its way down her temple. '_I think I've heard that somewhere before…'_

"You are so much better than he is! I don't know why girls are so fooled by his pretty face."

'_Oh my god!'_ Kyoko finally realized. '_This is almost exactly like some of the conversations _I_ had with Shotaro before…well, just before._' She winced, remembering some of the more awful things she'd said about him. '_I am so sorry Tsuruga-senpai! It's the other way around! It's Fuwa Sho that can't be compared to you!'_

"Whenever I remember that she's from the same company as Tsuruga Ren I get really annoyed," Mimori continued. "So, I'm sabotaging her at school." She said nonchalantly.

Kyoko started to pay more attention at that, not in the least bit bothered by it, and Sho now did too; remembering what the girl had said earlier about Kyoko being in a class with her. "The two of you go to the same school then?"

"Yeah," she replied. "I heard that she couldn't get into a high school last year, so she should be a year ahead me... But, I've also heard that her grades were excellent all throughout school…And, she doesn't seem like the kind of person who'd have a hard time getting into a decent high school. It makes me wonder what the real reason is…"

Kyoko had long since begun to look horrified at all the information the other girl was spewing out without any regard for her privacy. She could almost see the idiot slowly connecting dots in his head!

"Ne, Pochiri," Sho began.

"Yes, Sho-chan?" The rock star could almost see little doggy ears pop up on top of her head and her tail start wagging.

"What's her real name?"

She pouted. "…It's Kyoko."

"And her last name?" he pushed.

"Ah ~ !" she yelled, complaining and striking out at him in protest, "Why do you want to know?"

He easily blocked the soft blows of her weak fists and said, deadpan, "If you tell me, I'll kiss you."

And, the doggy appendages were back. "On the lips?" she asked, eyes sparkling.

"Yes."

"Alright then, I'll tell you," she said, imaginary tail waving back and forth.

Kyoko jumped forward in horror, her demon minions exploding from her body.

"Her last name is Moga-uwaaah!" Mimori choked on the name, only the first couple of syllables escaping her mouth.

"Wh-what's wrong?" Sho asked, startled. "Pochiri? What's wrong? Are you feeling alright?"

"Uwaaah!" she screamed again, the sound strangled in her throat for some reason.

_IF YOU TELL HIM, I WILL CURSE YOU!_

"Huh?" Sho suddenly felt shivers begin to crawl up his spine, and quickly spun in his seat to look behind him. When he did, he saw the girl they'd been talking about, and suddenly Pochiri was hugging him tightly around the waist.

"Sho-chaaaan!" she wailed, "That was so scary!"

Sho just stared at the short-haired girl, completely bewildered.

"Aw…" Kyoko said, a polite smile stretching her mouth wide. "She's hugging you. How romantic! You probably shouldn't do that on set though, or we'll never get the filming done."

They just stared at her, still shocked at her sudden appearance. "You guys make a very good couple though." She said, smirking slightly, a dark aura emanating from her. "It makes me a bit…envious."

At that last an odd tension filled the air around them, and it was immediately noticed by the director when she came by to tell them that they were about to get started on a review of the main scenes.

'_They…this atmosphere seems rather…tense…'_ Asami thought. Then she wondered, '_No way… Could it be…that Kyoko likes Sho?_'

.-.

…_On lunch break, two hours later…_

'_Wow, this looks pretty good…'_ Kyoko thought with surprise on opening the provided bento.

"Here's some tea," an assistant said as he placed a paper mug before her.

"Thank you."

"I apologize for only being able to provide o-bento for lunch," Asami said as she sat down to Kyoko's right. "We had originally reserved seats at a nearby restaurant, but there were some last minute changes in the schedule…we have to start filing right after this. Sorry for the inconvenience."

While she spoke, Kyoko marveled at the tiny packaged towelette that had come with her meal. '_How considerate…'_

"Really!" It was Sho's annoyed voice that broke into her thoughts, and she soon turned her attention to him and Mimori, who seemed to be fighting about the cloth covered box in her hands. "It's all because you said that you'd make me a bento that the staff didn't buy one for me!" he accused, exasperated.

"Eh ~ don't be like that, Sho-chan! I spent my whole morning making this!"

'_The whole morning…'_ Kyoko was once again forcibly reminded of when she was living with Sho and spent the mornings making his breakfast and lunch without a word of thanks from him. A real headache began to pound at her temples.

"Sho-chan," another woman began. "Mimori worked really hard to make it…you should eat it."

"…I know." He glanced away from them both. '_It's not like I have anything else to eat anyway…'_

Kyoko absently wondered if every female Sho stayed around for any amount of time called him Sho-chan. Even she hadn't been immune to it.

"Waaah!" Mimori exclaimed in excitement, "Really? That's great! Please eat a lot!"

'_Such a happy face…_' Kyoko marveled, her eyes nostalgic. But then her expression darkened. '_But no matter how hard you work for it, this guy won't understand. Foolish girl…'_

"Here! Open your mouth!" Mimori held up a dumpling and attempted to feed him with it.

"Stop that!" he said, annoyed

'_Will this girl end up like me? Seriously, it's like watching past replays of myself. I feel so bad for her…'_

Snapping open her own disposable chopsticks, Kyoko made to begin eating. On the other side of the table, Sho was a little ahead of her, and she watched as he suddenly froze, halfway through biting down on an omelet roll.

'_Ah…!'_ Kyoko thought, '_Shotaro's expression…_' the musician looked almost ready to throw up. She glanced at what he had bitten into… '_That omelet roll must be sweet. Shotaro hates sweets!_'

She watched with wide eyes as he glanced carefully towards Mimori on his left and Shoko on his right before, determining that they weren't watching, turning towards the trashcan.

'_Ah! Wait!_' she shouted at him in her thoughts, '_Could it be that you want to throw it away?' _ She quickly grabbed the small package of salt that had come with her meal and flicked it across the table at him, still screaming at him from inside her head. '_That girl worked hard to make you that lunch!_'

Sho stared, startled, at the packet, and slowly lifted his gaze to stare at the girl that had slid it over to him. He was still staring at her in surprise when Mimori began to talk again; completely oblivious to the lack of attention her crush was paying her.

"Oh yeah…" she began, "Sho-chan, is there any type of food that you don't like?" she asked

Seeing that her charge wasn't going to answer, Shoko answered for him. "Mimori-chan, Sho-chan's motto is 'No food can bring me down.'" She said, chuckling. "I've never seen Sho-chan be picky about food."

"Wow!" the girl gushed, "So cool! Sho-chan is so cool! So stylish!"

But Sho ignored her, his gaze still intent on the small teen sitting across from him, and Kyoko, feeling like she'd just made a very big mistake and very conscious of the intense eyes resting on her form, did her best to concentrate on eating her food.

She didn't taste a single bite.

.-.

"_Eat it. Even if you have to force yourself. Finish everything…!" _

He had seen it in her eyes, in her glare. That's what she was saying to him when she'd flicked that salt over. As he sat as still as he could and let the make-up artists fuss over him, Sho just couldn't get that look in her eyes out of his mind.

It was infuriating – and the worst part of it all was that he had obeyed; he'd been too hungry not to.

"Ne, Sho…" Shoko began hesitantly, a thoughtful expression on her face. He listened with half an ear. "I…overheard Asami-san talking about that girl and I thought..." She paused, before finally just blurting it out, "Is she _that_ Kyoko? Their names are similar but…"

Sho could feel his jaw tighten and his teeth begin to grind together as his manager finally made the same connection he had ages ago. He was almost positive now.

'Kyoko' was Mogami Kyoko.

She glanced at him, and seeing that his eyes were closed asked, "Sho? Are you listening?"

"I'm listening." He said, opening his eyes and dismissing the sounds of fangirl-ish squeals coming from a couple female stagehands. Glancing in the mirror, he didn't really blame them though, he looked even more amazing than usual, if he did say so himself.

His costume was entirely black and dark blue, the fabric of the shirt and the long jacket/robe thing – he wasn't unmanly enough to know the names of such things - hanging open to display his solidly muscled chest and cinched loosely around his waist. Many different kinds of chains hung off of every part of his body and gothic jewelry adorned every inch of his hands. An oddly claw-like necklace wrapped around his neck, echoing the shapes of the black claws they'd made out of his finger-nails. Large dangling earrings long enough to almost brush his shoulders also dangled from his pointed ears.

But despite the splendor of all this, what stood out most was his thin, finely sculpted facial features, enhanced immeasurably by deep, bloody burgundy eyes and long, snow-white hair pulled back into a thin tail. The spiky ivory locks curled into almost horns above his ears and framed the intense red eyes perfectly.

But his thoughts turned from his own appearance and back to the orange-haired girl quickly enough, a very rare occurrence in and of itself. No one besides his family and Kyoko had ever known about his disliking for sweet omelets and things of that nature, and this Kyoko had realized it immediately.

"Okay, we're done here." One of the artists finally proclaimed, beginning to pack her kit back up. "I should go see if they need help with the girls now…"

As she was gathering her things, Sho caught sight of a cosmetic case shaped like an elegant swan that he recognized almost immediately. He also remembered how mesmerized Kyoko had been by it a year ago when she'd caught sight of it in a shop window.

He smirked. "Interesting…" he murmured. He would rip off the mask this 'Kyoko' was wearing, soon.

.-.

'_This…could be bad…'_ Kyoko thought uneasily, '_I may have just exposed myself to him…I'm pretty sure that no one aside from me outside of Kyoko knows that he can't stand that kind of thing…_'

She sighed, an aura of gloom casting a shadow over her. '_I only really did because, well…_' She glanced over at Mimori, who was currently getting her make up done, '_That girl reminds me of how I used to be…!_'

Mimori then glanced over at her irritatedly, and Kyoko was immediately absorbed by the magic being done to the already pretty girl's face.

"Wha-what?" She asked, taken aback by the stars in the slightly older girl's eyes. "Why are you staring at me?"

"Eh?" Kyoko was startled out of her almost trance, "Ah…I was just thinking about how pretty you look." She said honestly.

Mimori just stared at her, dumbstruck. '_This person…I really don't understand her…_' she thought, bewildered, but slightly flattered by the compliment. _'…But I can't really hate her, no matter what I say…_'

"Ah! I can't wait 'till it's my turn! I want to be beautiful too ~!" Kyoko exclaimed excitedly.

Mimori felt her eyebrow twitch at this, immediately jumping to conclusions "Humph! No matter what kind of makeover you end up getting, you won't be able to claim Sho's heart!" She declared. Why would someone want to look beautiful after all, if it weren't to attract Sho? She flushed angrily, "You are most definitely not the type Sho likes!" she cried.

"Yeah, I know." Kyoko deadpanned, completely snapping out of her beauty craze.

"Haa?"

"His type is someone like you." She commented. '_Breast-wise, anyway…_' The girl clearly had at least a large C-cup, maybe even bordering on D.

As Kyoko turned away to go claim her own seat at the make-up table, Mimori stared after her, still confused. '_I really…don't get this girl._' She thought.

'_She doesn't seem remotely romantically interested in Sho-chan, so why did she volunteer for the part? But, that evil aura when I was about to say her name…_' She mused on that for a while. '_What…what if there some reason that she doesn't want Sho-chan to know her name?_' She narrowed her eyes at the other actress, '_How…very suspicious…!_'

The two actresses and the make-up artist then turned as they heard the door of the dressing room open and gaped as they watched the be-costumed Fuwa Sho follow another make-up artist into the room.

The more normal girls in the room – including Mimori – squealed excitedly, hearts forming in their eyes, "Kyaaaa ~! Sho-chaaan ~! So handsome!"

Sho snorted arrogantly inwardly, '_I know…_'

Kyoko also gaped at him in shock, but for different reasons. '_Wha – What the heck? He…he somehow looks like – like a Fairy-tale Prince!_' She scowled, immediately pushing away any unwilling attraction the sight invoked. She'd always known how good-looking he was anyway, so it had to piss her off more than anything else…She was angry at the sight of him being like something out of a story-book, when he so clearly was not – and that was _all_.

She glared intensely at him, shivering with repressed emotions. She then started slightly as she saw Sho turn towards the only girl in the room that hadn't gushed over him the moment he'd walked through the door – her. Kyoko took an involuntary step back as he strode up to her and leaned close – '_Way, way too close!_' her mind screamed – to her face and just stared for a moment.

Sho let his eyes roam over her face, taking in the nuances of the more and more familiar facial features…

"Wha-what?" Kyoko managed to get out, and then cursed herself for stammering in front of him.

Sho smirked. "Just then…you were completely captivated, weren't you?" he asked mockingly, enjoying the furious, embarrassed flush that rose to her cheeks.

"I was not captivated!" she protested, cursing how the words somehow didn't feel entirely truthful as they left her mouth. "I was only taken aback by the excessive –"

"Liar." He cut her off, sliding a bit closer. Kyoko was suddenly very aware of how much taller than her Shotaro was – he was almost bending over her, and she still didn't even reach his shoulders.

"…You obviously…like me." He said the last in a very low whisper that made her shiver – in disgust! – as it brushed her ear.

She froze, staring up at him blankly, and then quickly came back to herself as she saw his smirk widen. "…what…are you saying," she inched back from him slowly, telling herself that she _was not_ retreating.

"I'm talking about how I look just like a _princess' fairy-tale prince_." He prodded further, following her subtle movements with his eyes.

"Wha..?" she did her best to look confused, refusing to acknowledge the reference. So what if she used to call him _her_ prince! "I have no idea what you're talking about," she continued, stretching her mouth into what felt like a very fake smile. "Are you feeling alright, Fuwa-san?"

'_What…the hell? Being so blunt and confident…_' she thought, thoroughly unnerved. '_Where the hell is his manager? As long as I continue to play innocent she should stop him…right?_'

She started again as she heard his jewelry clink as he settled his hands on either side on her body on the counter she suddenly found herself tapped against. '_What -?'_

Then Sho started to speak again and her stunned golden eyes shot up to meet his, panic widening them and glinting in their depths, "Why do you keep calling me 'Fuwa-san'?" he asked teasingly. "Call me Sho-chan…" his head tilted closer and she moved her own head back just as far in response, her hands coming up reflexively to push against his chest. "Come on…" he coaxed.

'_No way!_' he mind screamed, and fortunately her mouth followed it's directions for once, "What – what are you saying? Fuwa-san!"

But the music star didn't seem to hear her, or was just ignoring her, and the panicked feeling began to overwhelm her, '_Somebody stop him!_' she screamed from the confines of her mind, '_He's about to – to –'_

"S-s-s-stop fooling around –" she was stammering again, but his face was just too close to her own for her to care this time.

"Nooooooooooooooooooooooooo!"

And then, suddenly, Sho was no longer leaning over her. Panting with relief, she breathlessly thanked the gods for their timely intervention. Finally coming back to herself she just stared on as Mimori berated her crush.

"Sho-chan! You're such an idiot! Idiot! Idiot! Idiot!" She struck out at him as she repeated the word, as if it would make the scolding more effective. "Why're you ignoring me and seducing that girl instead!"

"Idiot," he returned, carelessly blocking the blows. "Who's seducing anyone…" he frowned, irritated. '_Damn…just a little more and I would have exposed her…_' he then found his eyes drawn towards the swan cosmetic again. Time for plan B then…

"Okay Kyoko-chan," Kyoko turned at her name towards one of the make-up artists, "If you'll put on these clothes, then we can start on your make-up." The artist said.

Kyoko could feel her heart beat up excitedly at the thought of being beautified again. Though the artist couldn't have known it, she had just found the perfect distraction for Kyoko from what had just happened. She smiled widely, feeling her cheeks flush in anticipation. "Okay."

'_She seems…really happy…_' Sho thought, picking up the swan thing. '_Then this should really work…even if she did say she didn't want it then…she thought up a name for it, so that can't be true…'_

He held it up, in full view of Kyoko and the make-up artist and commented, very nonchalant, "Oh? This shape seems very unusual for a cosmetic…" He smirked, seeing that he'd very obviously caught her attention. "I'm sure I've seen it somewhere before, but what was the name again…?"

"Ah, that's a popular brand," the make-up artist commented.

"That's right, I remember now." He said.

It's called 'Royal Sn-" but the woman was cut off by simultaneous exclamations from Kyoko and Sho.

"Odette." Sho deadpanned, smirking as he heard her say it in unison with him.

"Odette!" Kyoko practically spun towards it, arms outstretched, the theme of Swan Lake echoing through her head.

Then she froze mid-step, her joyful expression diminishing rapidly. She slowly lifted her eyes to his face and gulped loudly at the evil expression there.

"Odette…?" the artist wondered aloud, her voice suddenly the only sound in the room.

'_Damn…_' Kyoko thought faintly; she could almost feel the blood draining from her cheeks. '_I just totally screwed up, didn't I…?_'

Sho grinned, triumphant. "It's been awhile, Kyoko."

Of course, it was at that moment that Shoko finally walked in. "Kyoko?" she repeated, startled. "What…?"

But neither of them paid her much attention. Kyoko stood straight, now immeasurably tense. "Am I…going to be dropped now?" she asked forcing the words out of her mouth, her eyes downcast and anger and humiliation painting her cheeks with an intense flush.

"Dropped?" he asked, "Why?" she looked up at him, eyes wide as he continued. "Why should anything you do bother me?"

Kyoko grit her teeth, and turned away. Sho stared after her as she returned to the attentions of her make-up artist. '_So you _are_ here to get your revenge on me…_' he thought, having read her anger at him clear as day in her eyes, before turning to leave the dressing room.

Shoko trailed after him, still very confused.

.-.

"Ne, Sho-chan," Mimori cried, wanting his attention.

Sho looked up. "Ah, it suits you," he said, completely sidelining her. They were on set now, and Sho had been watching the crew set up the first 'scene'. Enough time had passed since that brief confrontation in the dressing room for Mimori to have completed her 'transformation' into an angel.

There were no wings of course – those would be added on later with CG – but a cute wig made of very long, straight blonde hair hid her own and was pulled back with cute flower-like accessories from her face. Her eyes were now a bright blue and shone with happiness at the complement from beneath straight bangs.

But Sho's eyes weren't really on any of that, his attention drawn more to the way the dress enhanced her cleavage.

"Really?" Mimori exclaimed.

"Yeah," he agreed good-naturedly, "Just my taste."

"Kyaaa~!" She exclaimed, "I'm so happy!" then she remembered what she'd wanted to say to the other teen in the first place. "Oh! That's right! I have something to tell you, Sho-chan!"

Sho nodded absently. "That 'Kyoko' – her real name is Mogami Kyoko!"

"Oh?" he said disinterestedly. That might have been nice to know a few hours ago, but it was pretty useless now that he already knew who she was. "So…you'd say I'm your enemy then…" he murmured softly to a girl that wasn't there.

Mimori just looked at him concernedly.

'_I know you must've gone through a lot to get here…_' he thought. '_So here's your chance. How much can you threaten me..?_'

Both of them turned when then heard the sounds of commotion coming from the direction of the dressing rooms. Finally catching sight of what had caused it, Sho stood up in automatic reaction.

'_This is your test – I won't run away and hide. What are you after?'_

The woman before him was beautiful; probably the most beautiful he'd ever seen. And he slowly took in her long, wavy blonde hair and the long, elegant white dress and saw the resemblance to the dress Pochiri was wearing.

'_There's no way…_' he thought, stunned. _'…Kyoko?_'

"…You..?" he murmured softly.

And she smiled.

He gulped in response, the image in his mind of the ever smiling, brunette girl he'd known his entire life slowly being crushed in his mind. '_I have always thought that she was that understood me best in this whole world._' He thought, eyes still glued to her. '_And I also thought that I was the one that understood her best too…_' he blinked, suddenly feeling as if the world had been yanked out from under his feet. '_Until now…_'

Shoko gaped, speechless, "…You…you've got to be kidding…"

"Is this for real?" Asami said more clearly, a kind of happiness entering her gaze at the thought that it might be. This was going to be even better than she thought it would be!

Mimori on the other hand, just stared up at Sho, watching the stunned, amazed look in his eyes with a kind of despair. '_Sho-chan…_'

"Kyoko..?" he asked, almost hesitantly.

And then suddenly he felt a stabbing pain in his shin, and his leg almost collapsed under him.

"Did that hurt?" the voice was both familiar and unfamiliar, and he felt himself be jerked forward until their eyes met and felt his own widen at the storm of anger and pain in her eyes, clearly visible despite the violet contacts.

"But my pain here…" she tapped her chest over her heart hinting at what she meant, "was that much greater."

"You…!" he exclaimed, "How dare you -!"

She jerked him back away from her, and then closer again; wanting him to shut up, but not wanting anyone else to hear what she was saying. She's supposed to be playing the 'good angel', after all.

"No. How dare you!" she returned. "You still think I wouldn't dare hurt you? Don't compare the old me to the current me. The pure, naïve Kyoko you used to know, no longer exists." She hissed.

The anger and pain swirled even deeper in her gaze, and he couldn't take his eyes away from the unspoken, very true, accusation hidden there. _And that's entirely your fault. You killed her._

He clearly remembered how she used to be then; what she used to say - _I don't need anything. I only need you Sho-chan. Everything else is meaningless. _

He now knew, without a doubt, that she would probably never say something like that to him ever again. She shook him once more, her slender hands digging even further into the collar of his costume.

"It's a good thing you like to pretend that no one else exists," she said, slightly louder and more threatening, "and decided not to drop me from this project." She grinned then, the evil smile only visible to Sho.

"I'll make you regret it so much you will want to die." She stated, and he could hear the resolve, the challenge, in her tone.

Then she flung him away from her, not caring if he stumbled, and turned and walked away.

He collapsed back into his chair, and watched her go, everything else a blur to him.

'_Is that...really Kyoko…?_'

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note<strong>

And, another chapter.

I'm a bit disappointed that I haven't gotten many reviews for this story – though the four people that have reviewed have my sincere thanks. However, my inspiration for it is still going strong, so it's ok.

I should have another chapter up soon.

I hope you all enjoyed it, so please do review.

~ Aljan Moonfire ~


	3. A Question of Love and Hate

**_Aljan Moonfire does not own Skip Beat!_  
><strong>

****"Speaking."

'_Thinking._'

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 3 – A Question of Love and Hate<strong>

* * *

><p>"It's a bit shocking, really," Asami commented to an assistant, going over the script again. "I had no idea they were that close." Despite the anger that was clearly there in the exchange, there was something about the aura around the two of them that said they were – or had been – very intimate, and it resisted any attempts to interfere. She remembered wanting to step forward and say something, though she wasn't sure what, and being completely unable to muster up the will move.<p>

Considering the aggressiveness of the exchange, it actually felt a bit like watching a train wreck and being unable to look away no matter how hard you tried.

"It's amazing," the assistant agreed. "I had no idea she was that pretty – she should be a good mach for the character." He pictured Sho and Kyoko together in his head again, and had to admit that they made a very good-looking couple.

"Yes…" she mused. '_She's actually more attractive than Mimori. I suppose it's a good thing she volunteered for the role she did...their relationship should also add a nice dynamic._' She couldn't help but wonder then, again, just what exactly that relationship was.

She looked up then, and caught sight of Sho. He still hadn't moved from his seat, and was watching Kyoko with intense eyes. "Sho-chan…" she said, and then asked, "You've known that girl for how long, exactly?" As she spoke she moved up next to him, also looking at the angel. Shoko moved closer as well.

"…The perfect couple…" he finally muttered quietly after a long pause.

"What?"

"At least…that's how it was supposed to be…" he continued, not moving his gaze from the girl in question. Shoko looked at him worriedly.

"Eh…?" Asami looked confused, a question in her eyes as she turned her eyes to the teen.

"_This_ Kyoko is like a stranger to me…" he elaborated, though it really didn't sound like an elaboration at all. '_That…practically demon-like attitude is so…_' his vision narrowed in on her sweet, calm face as she listened to another of the assistants. '_But she's still so…familiar…_'

"Really," Asami said, staring quizzically at the girl, "When she's calm, she really seems like an angel…" the director was still having trouble connecting this calm, beautiful girl with the one that had kicked Sho's shin in just a few minutes ago.

"I…" Shoko spoke up, "I still can't believe it…" she was having even more trouble than Asami, having seen Kyoko when Sho first broke it off with her. "That the girl from that day has actually become so beautiful…"

She watched, concerned, as Sho's expression tightened at her words. '_She has finally come to Sho-chan's side! And to think that even a few months ago, she was just a plain, normal girl._' Her eyes softened,'_And he…Sho-chan must be even more surprised than I am…_'

Sho felt his face twitch as Shoko's words coincided with Kyoko meeting his gaze from across the large room. He hated coincidences like that. Sensing something he likely couldn't have put into words even if he tried in that familiar, beautiful stranger's gaze, he rose to his feet and went to join her.

"Sho-chan…?" Shoko wondered aloud as he moved off.

He stopped what he felt was a safe distance from her – a good three feet – and just looked at her for a moment before asking, "What are you doing?" he did his best not to sound curious.

Kyoko heard it anyway, and glared back at him. "That…" she nodded irritatedly at her fellow angel. "You think of something."

"Eh?" Sho turned to look himself at the girl he'd admit he'd been ignoring since Kyoko had shown up on the set.

"I – I'm already…" Mimori took a moment to sob, what seemed to be real tears falling from her eyes, "…do-doing my best!" Her chest heaved fruitlessly for a time. "But…I really can't make myself seem friendly…" more sobs… "I really hate her!" she finally wailed loudly, hiding her face in Sho's chest.

"Mimori…" the assistant tried, but was cut off by Asami trying her own hand at it. The director and Sho's manager had followed them over, wondering what was going on themselves.

"Mimori," she said, leaning close to her, and Sho indirectly. "You should know that this isn't something you can solve just by saying that you hate her." The director said soothingly.

Sho and Kyoko's eyes met for a moment over the two women's heads. "You really are a detestable person, aren't you?" he said, a mock-wondering tone entering her voice. His hands hovered hesitantly over Mimori's shoulders, uneasy at the thought of comforting anyone. "Do you feel sad, living?"

Kyoko gaped at him for a moment in shocked anger before screaming, "This is entirely your fault!" Her flawlessly made-up face twisted with fury, and she continued, "You're making it sound as if you have nothing to do with this…!"

"Touché," he growled. "So, what did I do?"

"You were always only close to me, so all the girls that had crushes on you hated me!" she said loudly, her face flushed angrily. It's why she hadn't been at all bothered at hearing that Mimori had been trying to sabotage her in school – she was used to it.

"So you're saying," Sho inferred, surprised, "That it was because of my handsome features and vast popularity…" he smirked inwardly at the thought, "…that you were never able to make friends?" he looked away slightly then, not wanting the other females around him to see the smugness he could feel over-taking his face.

Kyoko ruined it almost immediately though when she growled and said accusingly, "And now you're probably thinking some thing like, 'So my popularity was really that great…', aren't you?"

He was silent.

"I really hate people like you!" she yelled at him. "You don't feel any guilt at all, do you?"

"And why exactly, should I feel guilty?" he shouted back, now completely disregarding the girl that had pressed her head into his chest. "Who would have known that it was wrong to be close to the girl who understands me the best?"

Kyoko faltered slightly at that, acknowledging the point despite herself. It's not like she'd ever told him about it either… She shook her head, trying to get back on track – there was no way she was going to lose this argument with him - but before she could come up with a retort, she was preemptively interrupted by a long, loud scream.

"Uuuuwaaaaaaaaaahhh!" Mimori pushed herself away from Sho and began waving her arms between the two verbal combatants, who had inched closer and closer to each other as the fight had escalated in volume.

"Stooop! Don't talk about you issues in front of me!"

.-.

Asami sighed, exasperated, as she leaned on a small tale near one of the crane cameras. "What a headache…it's just a music video, but we're not making any progress at all…" she sighed again, "But the feelings and expressions of the actors are so essential in something like this, since there isn't a verbal script…"

"I'm so sorry…" Mimori's manager apologized profusely. "Our Mimori…" she didn't have the words. She then turned to Kyoko, "I apologize to Kyoko-san too. Even though Mimori is new, to say something like, 'It's impossible because I hate her'…." She shook her head, "It really wasn't meant to turn out like this; we've hurt you too…"

"Eh?" Kyoko made a sound of surprise at the profuse apology. "D-don't worry," she said, embarrassed. "Acting really is very dependent on one's emotions. I don't mind at all."

"Ah…" Mimori's manager sighed at the thought of such a cooperative talent, "Even though you're also new, you understand so well…"

Kyoko felt herself twitch at the awed stare and looked away. '_It's nothing like that!_' she protested inwardly. '_It's just that the longer this takes the more time I have to prepare myself for…acting…with Shotaro. I still have no idea how I'm going to manage it…_' She grimaced then, thinking of how difficult this was going to be for her. '_On the other hand, even though I understand how she feels perfectly, it won't do to continue like this indefinitely. If the filming is unsuccessful, my coming here and being discovered by him will have been completely pointless!_'

She turned then to glare at Mimori and Sho, who were seated some distance away. '_You had better fix this quickly, Shotaro!_'

.-.

Sho shivered, feeling Kyoko's glare on his back.

~_ "Listen, Shotaro! It's only a misunderstanding of our relationship! Just explain to her clearly that we're not like – not like that and clear up this mess! Give her a kiss or something and tell her to forget about it! You do it all the time, so you should be an expert at it already!" _ ~

He could still hear her angry voice echoing in his head. He mourned slightly then, remembering the pure, innocent Kyoko that had gotten so embarrassed when he came out of the bathroom without a shirt on. That innocence was completely gone now…

He sighed and said, "She really is a 'Mogami Kyoko' that I no longer know…" He then turned to Mimori, who was still looking a bit tearful. He really hoped she didn't burst into tears again. "I think I've already said this, but she's my 'enemy'."

"Can you really still say that now, Sho-chan?" she asked timidly.

"Eh?" he responded, looking both surprised and slightly annoyed. "Of course I can. Why would you ask that?"

She looked down, as if she really didn't want to say what she was about to, but just had to anyway. "Because…because, Sho-chan, when she came out, dressed as an angel, you…" she hesitated, looking for the right words.

"You looked so…blissful."

.-.

'_Sho isn't the only one captivated_,' Asami Haruki thought not all that much later, looking at the reactions of the crew members, and feeling her own, as Kyoko coaxed Mimori into playing her role flawlessly on the set.

'_Even I'm speechless at her expressions and attitude._' She sighed, watching them closer. '_From a more clinical perspective she really isn't one of those amazingly extraordinary beauties. But right now, you really couldn't tell the difference._'

'_She's just so vibrant and honest with her smiles that she feels flawless…' _

.-.

Sho, watching from nearby, stared intensely at her in confusion and…something else…that he really didn't want to think about. It sort of bubbled uncomfortably in his gut, and he shifted uneasily, completely unnerved by the unfamiliar feeling.

'_In the darkness, you are like a bright ray of light…_'

As the lyrics of his song played through his mind he dropped his head into his hands, angry this time at himself.

'_Damn it! Why am I staring at her? And why did I think of the lyrics!'_ He actually growled a little, raising his head to look at her again. '_This has to be because of the weird things Pochiri was saying earlier!_' He carefully ignored the fact that he'd had a hard time keeping his eyes off her even before that. '_Something about looking blissful -! Ugh! I wasn't blissful, I was – was…shocked! Definitely not blissful!_'

He'd even said as much to Mimori, but she'd looked very unconvinced. He looked up to glare at Kyoko again, '_How are you doing this to me?_' he wondered. '_You're __**just **__Kyoko…_'

And then she smiled again, and his brain just sort of…blanked out on him.

"Sho-chan…which one are you looking at?" he jerked at Asami's voice and immediately turned his head away, folding his arms stubbornly across his chest as he did so.

"I wasn't looking at either one!" he protested.

"That's no good." She sighed, and then abruptly turned his head to stare back at the two actresses. "You should clearly be watching Kyoko."

"Never!" he slammed his eyes shut, refusing to take even a peek. '_She came here to get her revenge on me, yet I'm captivated by her! I can't forgive myself for this -!_'

"Sho-chan, I'm saying this for your own good." She stated, surprising him.

"What?" he asked; surprised enough to finally open his eyes.

She sighed again and explained. "Mimori, she – because of what you said to her – has been trying very hard to be Kyoko's rival…"

He blinked, suddenly remembering clearly what she'd said to him before finally beginning to act with Kyoko. – _"This is the first time I've seen you try so hard, Sho-chan. Your reason…is it me? Even though I'm still not convinced, I understand. I'll believe in you, Sho-chan." _

"But she's not nearly up to par," she continued. "At first she tried to keep up that kind of attitude, but just a moment ago…" she gestured back to the angels and Sho really looked, trying to see what she had.

"…She was completely captivated by Kyoko, and has produced the most beautiful expression." And then, suddenly, Sho could see it – Mimori was really smiling, her whole face lighting up with joy as she played in the flowers with Kyoko. "That girl, Kyoko… Her appearance isn't the only amazing thing about her. Her acting skills are just as impressive."

Sho felt his eyes widen, remembering the challenge she had given him when she first came out of the dressing room. "Sho, when you act opposite her later, you must be careful. Or else you'll be swallowed by her flow just as easily…"

Asami watched with satisfaction as she saw Sho grit his teeth together in frustration. The chemistry between those two was amazing – if they were both fighting to not be caught up in it, it would make her video that much better. And since these scenes would have no audible sound, they could honestly say anything they wanted to each other – she couldn't wait.

Then Sho let out a growled, "I…definitely won't…" and she let out a small smirk of triumph that Sho missed, focused as he was on Kyoko again.

"Oh?"

But before Sho could say anything else, Asami was called away by a technician. "Asami-san! Mimori and Kyoko's scenes have all undergone CG!"

"Oh, really? I'll have to check it out then," she returned, walking over to join the angels in front of the monitor.

'_So this is what she meant. To her I'm an 'enemy', no matter what the story says. She's going to try and use her acting skills…_' Sho thought, as he followed Asami.

And then Kyoko looked up, the smile falling from her face as she met Sho's eyes.

'…_to eat me alive…_'

Of course, it was then that Kyoko's cell phone began to ring.

.-.

Kyoko had watched as Sho had talked to Mimori, and was once again startled by the familiarity of the situation. Not even half a year ago it had been her in that position, listening to Sho's explanations and not really, really believing his words, but trusting _him_ anyway.

And just look at how well that had turned out…

So, when they started filming the first scene between them in the false meadow of flowers, she resolved to use it to make her smile again, the way she'd always wished there was someone there to make her laugh _then_.

Mimori however, seemed rather determined to be miserable. She immediately collapsed in the flowers and stayed there, looking downcast and not at all in the mood to run joyfully through a field of flowers.

Kyoko thought for a while before remembering how she had done things with Moko in the Curara audition. She needed some thing to startle her – to bring her, at least temporarily, out of her funk. Glancing around, there were only flowers…and more flowers.

It'd have to do.

Gathering a large armful of petals together quickly, she then stood back up and dumped them on top of Mimori's head. The other girl gasped in shock, having been doing everything in her power to ignore her self-appointed rival. She glared up in anger and confusion at Kyoko, but was brought up short at the sight of the other girl's beautiful, mischievous smile.

'_Why is it,_' Mimori wondered, '_that I can never bring myself to really hate this girl?_'

And then, when Kyoko held out her hands, she looked at them, bewildered, for a moment before meeting the other teen's eyes. When she did she immediately saw the encouragement in them, and she reluctantly let the angel pull her to her feet.

When Mimori refused to meet her eyes after that, Kyoko sighed and lifted Mimori's chin until their gazes met again.

This time when she smiled, Mimori smiled back.

After that Kyoko let herself indulge in all the things she'd dreamed of doing with Moko-san in a flower field – flower chains, petal fights, braiding flowers into each others hair…she could almost feel her mouth start to hurt from smiling too much.

And then, not long after they shouted cut, she got to relive it all over again when she got to see the scenes after they underwent the CG treatment. It was almost worth everything that had happened to see herself with such beautiful wings!

Of course, that was when _he_ had to come up and wreck her mood.

Fortunately, that was when her phone began to ring.

.-.

She had struggled with what to do with it in the dressing room, but seeing as Moko's call could likely make or break this filming; she had eventually decided to attach her cell phone to the strappy white high heels they had given her to wear with her costume.

So, when it went off she immediately kneeled and took it off to take a look at who was calling. "Moko-san!" she said excitedly, relief in her voice, before rising to her feet again and turning to the director. "Could I have a moment to take this? It's really important."

Asami took a look at her watch and nodded saying, "We have the time, and I want to go over the CG in your scenes with Mimori again anyway before we move on to yours and Sho's. Just keep it as quick as you can."

"Hai." She gave a quick bow before trotting off, bringing the phone to her ear. "Moshi moshi? Kanae…"

"I wonder what that was about…" Asami mused thoughtfully, before turning back to the screens.

Sho looked after Kyoko for a time as well, unwillingly even more curious than the director. '_I'm not going to let her do this to me!_' he thought furiously and, resisting the temptation to follow after her and listen in on her phone call, he turned and swept away in the other direction.

Shoko swiftly followed after him.

"Sho-chan," she asked once they had left the set behind them, "Why are you so angry? Because she kept that promise?"

Sho stopped in his tracks and glared down at her before looking away. "That wasn't a promise," he said irritatedly, remembering Kyoko's shouted vow of revenge, "That was more like a curse. No, it's more…" he growled in frustration, unable to verbalize the angry, possessive feeling in his chest when he thought of Kyoko.

"I've never really thought like this about anyone before…" he mused, almost thinking out loud.

She frowned, not understanding, and said, "Translate."

"Well…it's like, I feel like she belongs to me – and only me." He finally said after thinking about it for a moment. "Like it's my right to do anything I want with her."

He nodded then, satisfied that he hadn't said anything about the softer feelings that tried to well up in the pit of his stomach when she'd smiled in her angel costume. It was probably just indigestion anyway – maybe the omelets Mimori had made for him were bad after all.

He knew he should have chucked it.

.-.

"Kanae?" Kyoko repeated, again, wondering if the connection was bad or something.

"Kanae…?"

"This – this stupid voice…"

"Huh…?"

"It's a sea of darkness before my eyes…I totally don't know what to do," Kyoko tilted her head slightly, wondering why Moko was saying her message back to her. "Please save me, Kanae!"

Kyoko heard her taking a deep breath and instinctively held the phone away from her ear as she finally retreated to the empty dressing room.

"Because of that stupid, lifeless voice-mail I thought you were in – in a life-threatening situation or something!" her friend screamed, "Don't say things that can be misunderstood so easily! If it's just a problem at work, then say so!"

"But – but!" Kyoko protested unsteadily, "You already know about me being in Sho's video, so even if I don't say it you'll understand…!"

"Who the hell would understand?" Kanae paused for a moment, and when Kyoko didn't respond continued, "Oi! You still there?"

"Yeah, I'm listening…"

"So, why did you call me then?" Kanae asked, calming down. "It must have been serious for you to leave a message like that, even if it was about work."

Kyoko took a deep breath and then said it aloud, "I – I have to act as Sho's angel lover in the music video."

"…And?" Kanae asked, wondering if that was it. "Why's that a problem?"

"Because," she growled, her grudges rising from her body in waves, "He's the most arrogant, condescending, pretentious, self-important ass on the planet!" she yelled, standing to her feet, "And I hate him more than anyone else in the entire world!"

"Oh…" Kanae said in a comparatively small voice, having almost felt Kyoko's murderous aura through the phone. "Sorry."

Kyoko subsided some at the quiet apology, and said, "It's alright."

"So why do you hate him so much anyway?" Kanae asked, now curious.

"Well…" Kyoko hesitated.

"I'm hanging up right now if you can't even tell me _why_ this is a problem for you." Kanae deadpanned. '_I actually would have thought her reaction would be the opposite of what it is before this…_'

"Alright, alright, I'll tell you!" Kyoko rushed to say, "Just don't hang up!" and then Kyoko slowly at first, but quickly gaining momentum, began to relate to her best friend the abridged version of the sordid history that was her relationship with Fuwa Shotaro.

"…Wow…" Kanae said at the end of her tale, stunned. "I had…no idea."

"But you can see why I'm having a problem now, right?" Kyoko asked urgently.

"Yeah…" Kanae took a deep breath and said, "The easiest, most effective way to pretend to be in love with someone else is to pretend that they're someone you _are_ in love with, but I don't think that would work in this case."

"No." Kyoko agreed.

"So, I'm going to have you try and do the opposite." She said.

"What?"

"Basically, Kyoko," Kanae said, "Even if you're not in love with him now, you have to admit that you were in the past."

Kyoko nodded slowly at this. She wouldn't hate him so much now if she hadn't loved him first.

"So, you have to remember what it was like." Kanae said, "To love him."

"What?" Kyoko asked, horrified. "There's no way I can!"

"Yes, you can." Kanae firmly stated. "This is your job now - and I won't let you back out on it; you're supposed to be my rival. If it helps, you can try and pretend that he's not Sho, but that might even make it harder at this point. "

"…Hai."

"Kyoko," Kanae continued, "You also have to remember that you're supposed to be an angel – how do you think your angel would feel in her situation, with her lover – not you with Sho. You can never forget about the character you are supposed to be portraying in front of that camera, Ok?"

"Ok, Moko-san."

"…Does that help at all?" Kanae asked.

"Yeah. I don't quite understand yet, but I think I will."

"Good. Until later then," Kanae said.

"Bye." Kyoko sighed.

Remember what it was like to love him?

She really wasn't sure she could do that. She could still clearly envision that little box in her heart, locked down tightly with all of her more 'pure' feelings shut inside.

She wasn't sure she even knew how to open it!

She closed her eyes then, and thought, '_At the very least, I have to try. If I don't, then all of this would have been meaningless…_'

She carefully didn't even think of her other rumbling uncertainty – that once she opened it, she wouldn't be able to close it again.

.-.

"Ok," Asami said briskly, handing Kyoko and Sho their copies of the scripts. "This should start out easy enough – I want the two of you to come upon each other in the 'ruins'." She gestured to the courtyard of false stone they'd somehow created in the center of the indoor set. "Sho, you'll see Kyoko first, and I want you to be completely entranced by her. Then, Kyoko, you'll notice him – I want some surprise, maybe some anger there."

'_That at least shouldn't be too hard. I can do anger,_' Kyoko thought.

"Then I want you to beckon him closer to sit by you over there," she nodded to a particular outcrop. "Then we'll skip to the two of you sitting together – not to close though at this point - and talking. That'll be our first clip." Asami then nodded to the hovering make-up artists, who moved into to touch-up their costumes before the cameras started rolling.

.-.

They slowly moved to their positions, trailing attendants that were always seeing one last thing to fix, and Kyoko took a deep breath and closed her eyes.

Behind her calm face she directed her grudges as they hid every memory she had of Sho, and then the rest of her life, in her heart box.

When she was finally a blank slate, she ever so slowly opened it again, careful of memories and feelings that shouldn't get out escaping. Then she reached in slowly and plucked out a little angel with the kanji for patience stitched on her little white dress out set her free.

The she reached for Compassion

And then, another; Confidence. She absently noticed that for some reason that virtue was rather small. She gave it some energy until it was as large as the patience virtue.

She slowly continued, the patience virtue coming in handy as the positive attributes she'd buried slowly accumulated around her, one after another, and she felt the urge to rush to the end.

Then, when she couldn't see anymore white dresses in the seething darkness of the box, she reached down as far as she could, past the grudges and the memories to the bottom of the chest, and pulled out something small and warm and soft and unbearably fragile and pulled it out carefully to hug to her metaphorical chest.

And then she set it free.

"Action!"

.-.

Sho wasn't really sure what to expect.

After watching Kyoko play so happily in the flowers with Mimori, he knew to watch out for that stupid, mesmerizing smile of hers, but that was all, really.

This, he could tell almost instinctively, would be much different though.

She was supposed to be falling in love with him.

He shifted nervously and as one of the costume people fussed at his shirt and another with his ears. Would she act like the old Kyoko had? For some reason he found that thought distasteful. Would she be more like Mimori? Or Shoko maybe? Asami? Someone else completely?

He had no idea.

And that made him very uneasy.

He moved up to the end of the set once they were done fussing at him and then stepped forward warily as Asami called out, "Action!"

Right.

He moved forward slowly, his caution unfeigned. He didn't want to be taken too much by surprise when he saw her, after all. She wouldn't get to him the way she had Mimori.

Then he caught a glimpse of gold out of the corner of his eyes and turned towards it. It seemed to hide behind one of the constructed pillars the set people had put up, so he moved to look around it, sure he had just seen Kyoko.

But when he did, he didn't immediately see anything. Then he glanced down and saw a long golden hair resting on the ground. He picked it up and held it up to his face. He frowned. It must have just fallen from her wig or something.

She had obviously been there, but clearly wasn't anymore. He moved further out of the shadow of the pillar and looked around, searching for her curiously. Where the hell did she go?

Then he remembered what Asami had said about the outcropping and turned his head towards it. And then, there she was, settling herself on it as if she'd just gotten there.

Well, if that glimpse of gold had been her, she probably had. He moved closer, keeping to the shadows. He was supposed to be a devil after all. Shadows are just what demons do as far as he was concerned. Besides, she wasn't supposed to see him yet.

Then he stepped into a beam of light carefully, hoping he was still out of her line of sight regardless. He wanted to just take a look at her for a moment, see what to expect.

His eyes widened at the sight. She looked so calm, and serene. He moved closer. She was just sitting there on the edge, making small braids in her hair and looking up at, well, the ceiling. They were inside so it couldn't be the sky. He vaguely supposed it would look like she was staring up at the clouds in the actual music video though.

He grudgingly admitted it was probably a good idea. He wondered what Asami would do with a shot of it.

He slowly crept closer, still doing his best to keep out of sight.

And then he froze, one foot out of a shadow as she looked down and across what was left of the space between them. Their eyes met, and his widened at the look in hers.

There was no hatred there, or pain, or sadness the way there had been the last few times their eyes. There was just a sort of innocent curiosity and wonder. Then her eyes widened, as if just recognizing that he was there. As she slowly rose to her feet he finally abandoned the meager shadows of the fake ruins and stepped forward into the main courtyard.

"What a pretty angel," he said mockingly, baring his fake fangs in a wide smirk.

She mock-pouted, catching the unkind tone in his voice but not letting it bother her. "And what an ugly devil." She returned; her voice sickly-sweet and just as mocking in its own way.

"I'm the handsomest devil in the world." He said, his voice cooling.

"I see I've said something wrong." She said, an odd smile taking over her face. "Why don't you tell me your name, vain devil, and we can pretend I didn't say anything about you being ugly."

He refused to look away from her face and answered, "I'm Sho." He said, and wondered briefly if that was how she was going to play it; by pretending they'd never met before.

"And I'm Kyoko." Then she smiled that bright, unbelievably happy smile at him and he could feel his eyes widen in shock. "It's nice to meet you."

He blinked, startled by the sincerity in her eyes. "You really mean that, don't you?" he asked wonderingly, unable to stop himself from moving forward another few steps.

She cocked her head innocently, "Why wouldn't I?" she asked, just as quizzically. Then she sat back down and patted the rock next to her. "Would you like to join me, Sho?" she asked.

He slowly approached and nodded, "…Sure." He sat facing her on the out cropping not too far from where she sat. One of his legs dangled off the fake rock, and he brought his other knee up to rest an arm on carelessly. He stared at her for a time, unable to help himself – he was just too curious.

"So, what are you doing here, Sho?" she asked suddenly.

His eyes narrowed on her. "I was curious."

"Really? What about?"

"Right now, I'm curious about you." He stated, trying to ignore how true it was. He'd never been curious about Kyoko before, so why would he start to be now?

"Oh?" she met his eyes, "What do you want to know?"

"Why you're here." He let the end of that thought go unspoken. '_…with me…and being so strangely nice._'

She smiled at him again, her gaze unwavering. "I'm here because I wanted to be."

He could help himself from frowning slightly. "That's not really answer."

"Yes, it is." She actually giggled then, "It just may not have been the one you were looking for."

.-.

Asami looked on, watching not only the set from where she was positioned, but also the different camera angles on the monitor. She smiled. '_Perfect…_' she thought. Sho looked mostly like his normal self, though clearly trying to be calmer in front of the camera. He had next to no experience in acting, and whether he was aware of it or not, he was following her lead the whole way.

But Kyoko…she was amazing. She knew very well that Kyoko really didn't like Sho that much at all, but if she were just watching this, she might think she actually did. She really wished she could hear what she was saying to make Sho focus all his attention on her.

And indeed, Sho looked completely mesmerized. His attention was all on her, and she could see his expression shift constantly, as if he were fighting with something in himself. It was perfect for this video – she knew that the fans that watched it would take it as him doing his best not to be attracted to or fall in love with the angel and failing miserably.

It was kind of cute, really.

And Kyoko really did look like an angel, her smile and expressions lighting up the air around her as if she were glowing. It made an amazing contrast next to Sho in his all his brooding, conflicted glory.

She smirked. They did make a very good looking couple.

"Cut!"

.-.

Sho relaxed only marginally, sinking absently into a chair.

He stared across the set at Kyoko, who was being fussed at by make-up artists. He could just barely see the soft smile on her face, could easily imagine the innocence in her eyes. She probably was still 'in character'.

It was almost scary, really. She was so _good_ at this! – And he'd never really thought Kyoko could be good at anything besides inn-like stuff, let alone something like acting. He could practically feel himself being pulled in by her as she acted.

At first all he had felt was a strange mixture of wariness and curiosity; curious to see what she would do, and wary of how it would effect him. And then, watching the expressions crossing her face, without the slightest bit of angry recognition there, it became a sort of fascination. It was both amazing and impossible – like he was meeting someone for the very first time and had no idea what to do with her.

He _knew_ how much she hated him; had seen it in her eyes, heard it in her voice. And then, as soon as she bean to act, it disappeared. And then there was someone else there in her eyes entirely. It baffled him, completely and utterly. But this time at least, he didn't feel very frustrated at the feeling.

It was like the Kyoko he'd known his entire life practically didn't exist anymore. It was amazing, and absolutely fascinating.

"All right!" Asami called from over by the monitors, "It's time for the next 'scene'!"

Despite himself, Sho was almost excited at the thought. This time he'd bring some of his own flirting skills out full-throttle. So, what else would she show him in return?

.-.

…_Sometime later…_

Kyoko stared at the monitors, watching in stunned silence as on one screen Sho, dark CG wings stretching from his back, played with her hair as they sat next to eachother in the 'flower field' set, her own white CG wings a sharp contrast.

She could remember that – they had been talking about something trivial (the flowers, maybe?), but she had completely missed that…that man bringing the strands up to his face and looking at them for a minute before pressing his mouth to them in what was clearly a soft kiss.

She clutched at her blond wig in horror. He - he'd kissed her hair! And – and! She looked at the other videos and watched as he did other things, lover-ly things, like – like holding her hands, and embracing her, and leaning very, very close – there were even small kisses here and there – to her hands, and even her checks, uncomfortably close to her mouth.

She resisted the urge to scrub furiously at both to remove the taint – it would destroy the beautiful, carefully applied make up. She supposed she should just be grateful that he didn't actually _kiss_ her, even though it looked that way in the video. She wouldn't have been able to resist the urge to dunk her head in acid or something to remove the feel of him from her lips.

The worst part though, was the way _she_ was acting in them! The way she responded to his affections! She played with _his_ 'hair', held _his_ hands just as tightly, kissed _his_ cheeks, leaned into_ his_ embraces…

It was absolutely horrifying! How the hell had that happened! She – she could even still feel the disgusting, horrifying, warm emotions the actions had evoked in her in her chest. The angel she had created was innocent and naive, and so much like she had been before…well, before.

There was a difference though. She could feel it. Her angel she - she was confident, no, absolutely sure of who and what she was – what she felt. Now that she thought of it, she may have based some of her angel's personality on Moko-san and her directness of feelings.

Kyoko…Kyoko had never been like that.

When she had been with him, with Sho, though she called him her prince, he was more like her master. She hated it, but she could almost see why he'd called her his servant – she had never even tried to act like anything else! She had taken everything he said as gospel, valued him and his wants and needs above everything she did…

She had loved him, yes, unbearably so – but she now realized it; she had not been _in_ love with him. Not the in the way a woman was in love with a man. Not the way her angel was with her demon 'Sho'.

She just had just thought she was. She hadn't known how this felt then.

But then…if she hadn't been _in_ love with him then, how could she be in _hate_ with him now?

Did she not hate him then?

No – she still hated him, she almost immediately concluded. She still disliked his arrogant personality so much she wanted to punch him almost every time he opened his stupid mouth, still wanted to shake him until he stopped breathing when he tried to say that no one mattered to him but himself, still wanted to curse him until he bleeds when he looked at her in that 'nothing you try and do will ever effect me' way – but she couldn't - she wasn't - her emotions weren't –

She took a deep breath.

'_So, I don't absolutely, completely, and utterly loathe him either anymore._' She thought.

'_I think._'

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note<strong>

And, another chapter. I told you I had some serious inspiration going for this story. I'm churning out half a chapter a day here. It's actually really cool. And I'm not done yet…

I hope you enjoyed it.

"Till the next chapter then. R&R.

~ Aljan Moonfire ~


	4. Jealousy and Confusion

_**Aljan Moonfire Does Not Own Skip Beat.**_

* * *

><p><em><strong>Chapter 4 – Jealousy and Confusion<strong>_

* * *

><p>Ren blinked in surprise at his cell phone, wondering at the display screen. Somebody had apparently called him a few hours ago, but he seemed to have completely missed it. '<em>I wonder when it rang?<em>' he thought. '_There's a new voice-mail too…But who would call me today? Everyone should know that I'm supposed to be on set all day…'_

"Eh?" he muttered, confused, as he pressed a button to enlarge the box on the screen. '_This is _her_ phone number isn't it?_' he thought, raising an eyebrow as the image of Kyoko's face popped up in his mind. _'But I never told her mine…did she get it from the office or something? But…to go to so much trouble, and then actually leave a message too… What on earth is going on?_'

He quickly dialed his voicemail and brought the phone up to his ear. "Uh - ummm… This is Kyoko. You must be working very hard right now, and I'm sorry to disturb you. I'm calling because I really need your help with something. Actually, I…"

Ren raised an eyebrow at the pause and waited, curious.

"…"

"…"

"…"

'_Is it spoiled or something…?_'

- Kacha! Du…du…

'_Eh! It cut off…?'_ The dark-haired actor stared blankly at the cell phone for a long moment, shocked. '_Wha-what is going on…? This makes me…_' he quickly began to dial again, his fingers almost blurring in his haste, '_so curious…!'_

He listened to the tone ring in his ears for a few minutes before sighing, exasperated. '_No one's answering…and there's no voicemail box…that idiot…'_

'_Don't tell me she's still not used to having a cell phone?'_

.-.

_Meanwhile, back on the Prisoner set_…

Kyoko sighed happily, closing her eyes in bliss as she melted into Sho's side. His right arm tightened around her shoulders firmly, the dull claws on his fingers pressing against the bare skin of her upper arm.

They were back in the ruins, and were now sitting on the broad ledge of what used to be a wide window. The top of the window and the wall above it had since been shattered somehow, and it was now left almost open to the sky. Sho himself gradually relaxed back onto the stone window-frame and Kyoko, sitting next to him on the inside, was contentedly leaning into him, her legs curled beneath her and the tips of her feet poking out over the edge of the ledge. Her long white gown draped over them, somehow contriving to look rather elegant instead of carelessly messy, to then trail on the rough floor of the ancient hall the window looked out of.

He gazed down at the top of her head, nestled into the curve of his shoulder, for a time, unreadable emotions swirling restlessly in his shuttered burgundy eyes. His other hand slowly reached across to where her long hair pooled on the ledge around her to tangle his fingers around a few of the soft strands. As his hand retreated, his fingers brought a lock back with them, continuing to play leisurely with them.

As his claws moved away from her, his eyes turned away too, looking out the window, before slowly closing themselves as well. They made a sweet picture, seeming to have fallen asleep in that position – a perfectly matched couple - one as dark and brooding as the night, the other bright and gentle like the morning sun.

And Mimori, watching from the other end of the constructed hall, could practically feel the ugly expression consuming her face at the sight of them.

Why wasn't it her in his arms? Wouldn't she have looked even better there? Wouldn't her love for him have made it even better? Why hadn't she spoken up sooner? She squeezed her eyes shut for a brief moment before opening them again to glare furiously at the woman in her crush's arms.

Intense jealousy welled up in her chest like a powerful acid, the anger simultaneously bubbling like boiling magma in the pit of her stomach. Her fists clenched at her sides, trembling viciously as she struggled to contain the overwhelmingly negative feelings.

A sneer twisted the corners of Mimori's mouth in opposite directions, distorting her face even further as she fought down the urge to scream at the peaceful looking couple. Her eyes then suddenly pricked with suppressed tears, her heart aching and throbbing terribly, as if wounded somehow, despite there being no visible injury.

She harshly choked back the scathing words that had welled in her throat a mere moment ago. They looked so perfect together…so content in each other's arms… She shook her head furiously, now fighting back despair more than anything else at the sight of them cuddled together like that.

She couldn't stand this – any of this!

That…!

That should have been her!

"Cut!"

Kyoko immediately pulled away from Sho at the sharp word, swiftly removing herself from the surprisingly gentle embrace of his arm. The hair of her blonde wig spilled over her shoulder as she turned to look at the director, ignoring Sho as he opened his eyes and stared at her again in that confusing way, but not moving otherwise.

Sho eventually turned his attention away from her though, much to the currently blonde girl's relief, instead focusing on the director again as well.

"Mimori, that wasn't quite it," Asami was saying, exasperation in her normally calm voice as she suppressed her own frustration at going over this…again. "The anger in your expression is…good, but it shouldn't be there immediately. I need some surprise, some shock, and then horror and realization. Anger should only come after that and should be minor in comparison... Very minor. Do you understand?"

Mimori nodded, the anger and jealousy in her heart subsiding slightly, and the tears in her eyes welling up faster than ever. She couldn't even act her part properly…A question welled up in her mind then – one that had already occurred to her multiple times – and she was unable to stop herself from looking to Sho, who was now slowly untangling himself from Kyoko.

The sight of the other angel so close to him only made the little deriding voice in her head all the louder…

What was she even doing here?

.-.

Sho pulled his eyes away from Kyoko with some difficulty, cursing everything from her long wig to his own uncomfortable jewelry in his mind, trying to distract himself – though he still wasn't really sure what from. Then, trying to ignore his…whatever the damn girl was to him…he looked over to the director and sighed, not for the first time, at the sight that met his eyes.

It was becoming a familiar one to everyone on the set. Pochiri looked to be almost in tears, not even looking at Asami's face as the woman attempted to instruct her. Her reaction had changed; he couldn't help notice, though the realization was a distant thing.

Before he had begun to shoot the 'love' scenes with Kyoko she would have shouted or cried loudly or something – in any case it would have been over the top and very distracting. Not that the constant cuts weren't, but…

'_Pochiri actually seems depressed,_' he thought, now that he paid more attention. '_Wonder what's going on there…_' his eyes involuntarily moved back to Kyoko as he thought that last. There was something he didn't understand going on behind her eyes too. He stared for a moment longer as the actress moved away from him.

Then, suddenly, shaking his head furiously as he moved, he quickly walked away in another direction as Asami sighed to herself and said, "Well, we'll take a moment's break then." He did his best to ignore the part of him that said he was running away – Fuwa Sho didn't run from anything. He was just taking a break, like Asami had said.

A harsh breath escaped through gritted teeth. Who the hell was he kidding! He closed his eyes and shook his head again. Hopefully, everyone except himself.

The make-up artists immediately converged on him and Kyoko as the director waved them off temporarily and he ignored their squawking complaints as he continued to move forward regardless. Mostly shaking them off, at least for the moment, and with some difficulty, he slammed his forehead into his palm in a futile attempt to knock some sense back into his damn head.

What was he doing! He let out an involuntary groan of slight pain.

It wasn't working – but his forehead did hurt now; yet another thing to add to his list of things that had gone wrong today, he supposed. It was a long list already, and he had feeling it was only going to get longer considering the subject of most the things on it.

Kyoko.

The girl was quickly becoming the bane of his existence.

He had to admit, reluctantly, and only to himself, of course, that flirting with Kyoko, or rather, the 'angel' character said girl had created was…an experience. To say the least... He sighed, removing his hand from his face and looking up. The make-up artists immediately pounced on him, touching up everything the face-palm had smudged. He ignored them with the ease of long experience.

He really didn't want to think about this – about _her_. And, normally, he was pretty damn good at controlling his thoughts – his reactions.

It seemed Kyoko was, as ever, the exception to the rule though.

Maybe it was because she had been there as he was creating his 'masks' – the ones of the perfect son, of the model student, and then even of the ultimate rock-star, Fuwa Sho – but even unconsciously, and even when she wasn't even being herself, she always managed to just, _get_ to him somehow. She just pushed all the buttons he'd always covered up so carefully as if those self-same shields had never existed to begin with.

Back there, on that set, he'd been flirting with her, teasing her, as if she were someone he was really intending to go after – someone he genuinely found attractive.

But that was impossible.

It _had_ to be impossible.

He groaned again, abruptly feeling like it was something he'd ended up doing far too often as of late.

And that last scene… He could still feel the warmth of her body in his arms, pressing against him; still smell something that was indefinable, but distinctly and unbearably _her_ practically clinging to the air around him. His hands clenched into fists, and he could almost feel the silk of her hair – no, of the wig, he reminded himself, again – in between his fingers.

He closed his eyes once more, and shook his head yet again in an attempt to shake off the lingering sensations.

It was impossible.

She was Kyoko – _just_ Kyoko!

He somehow couldn't help but feel that the word _just_ had never been a replacement for so many others in his entire life.

What an infuriating, fascinating woman.

He groaned again inwardly - this time somehow managing not to give voice to the exasperated sound - unable to believe he'd actually just thought that. He looked across the room, not bothering to push the people touching up his costume and face away again, and narrowed his eyes at the sight of her, smiling blissfully again at the make-up people surrounding her.

He ran an irritated hand through his hair and quickly looked away.

He couldn't stop the confused thought from crossing his mind again, his mind skipping back to her unbelievable anger, her shocking appearance and astonishing acting skill as it did; '_Did I ever really know you at all?_'

The actress across the room, of course, didn't answer, and his own mind was strangely silent in response to the unspoken question, one he still couldn't find an answer to.

'_Just who are you, Kyoko?_' Sho wondered again, and the curiosity and confusion almost overwhelmed him for a moment.

The world had suddenly shifted, almost fundamentally. And he wasn't sure if it would ever straighten again.

.-.

Kyoko smiled, once again nearly going into inward seizures of rapture as the make-up artists surrounded her. One especially diligent one once more touched up her hair – Sho kept on playing with it in nearly every take, and she felt rather bad for the exasperated looking woman - as the others focused more on her slightly smudged make-up and ruffled costume.

She resisted losing herself in the beautifying process though, as she watched the slumped form of Mimori as the other girl walked away from the still frowning director. She frowned herself then, the smile falling away from her face as she watched her fellow angel quietly retreat into the dressing room.

As there wasn't all too much for the make-up people to do, they seemed to finish with touching her up soon enough, and she moved after Mimori quickly, concerned about the other girl. The tapping of her strappy heels seemed very loud to her own ears as she approached the dressing room.

She knocked softly on the door and waited for the soft answer before quickly entering and then locking the door behind her. She didn't want anyone – especially Shotarou – interrupting them.

Mimori looked up at the sound of the lock and her face immediately twisted at the sight of Kyoko. Of course, it was the last person she wanted to see right now that had followed her. She quickly wiped away her tears, her make-up streaking at the motion. "Oh. It's just you. What do you want?" she growled lowly, glaring wetly at the other actress.

Kyoko was quiet or a moment, but soon replied, "…I wanted to see if you were okay." She said softly, a kind of sympathy in her eyes.

"Do I look okay?" she grumbled, sniffling slightly and wiping at her eyes again. "And why would you care anyway?" she sniffed, trying to make the sound scornful, but the wetness left over from her tears caused that to fail quickly. Disregarding it though, she quickly continued, not giving Kyoko any time to respond. "You got the better part, and you've been so close to," she wiped away more tears as they welled to the surface, "to S-sho-chan…why would you even care if I'm not okay?" she repeated accusingly.

Kyoko hesitated, wondering what she could possibly say to make the girl feel better. "…I'm sorry," she eventually said softly, moving a bit closer.

"Don't say that!" Mimori yelled. Kyoko halted her forward movement at the tone. "It's not like you mean it anyway," she continued, brushing off what she saw as faked concern, "and – and!" she growled softly in frustration, unable to get what she wanted to say out. She suddenly looked up, her confused, angry eyes glaring at the other angel. "What's your relationship with Sho-chan anyway?" she demanded.

Kyoko glowered back, her own anger rising at the question. Even if she'd let go of some of her hatred for her childhood friend, that didn't mean she wasn't still furious at the way he had treated her, and she still very much disliked his personality. Even if she hadn't truly been in love with him, he had betrayed her trust and spit on her loyalty and affection for him, and she may very well never forgive him for that.

Kyoko could hold grudges with the best of them, and Sho had seriously wronged her. She was still steadfastly determined to get her revenge for that.

"That…is a very long story…" she said slowly, menacingly, her countenance darkening as her grudge demons erupted at the mere thought of his betrayal of her. "Are you sure you want to hear it…?" she continued menacingly, a dark aura erupting around her in black flames of anger.

Mimori, suddenly and vividly remembering the feeling of Kyoko's demons from earlier in the day, blanched; the anger and jealousy on her face was quickly being replaced by fear. She shook her head furiously and squeaked out a high-pitched, "No!"

Kyoko's aura rapidly subsided at the fear on the other girl's face. She sighed, calming down quickly, though some anger still bubbled under the surface. "That guy," she began softly, "…there's no way he'd like me. Not anymore, at least – if he ever did to begin with…" she trailed off, the last part of her sentence coming out as a mostly unintelligible murmur.

"I thought I already told you," she continued, exasperated and once more focused on the girl in front of her. She moved forward quickly and then sank into the chair next to Mimori's, her eyes steady. "That guy's into girls like you. You really have nothing to worry about."

Mimori looked distinctly unconvinced. Not only had she seen the way Sho looked at the golden-eyed girl, she'd also heard something similar from the man himself. The similar answers showed the connection between them almost as much as the chemistry even she could feel between them did. She felt more tears well up in her eyes at the thought. She buried her head in her arms again, blocking out the sight of Kyoko's earnest face.

Kyoko just sighed as Mimori avoided her gaze again. "If we can put that aside for a moment," she began then, giving up on convincing Mimori of the realities of her relationship with Sho and changing the subject, "why exactly are you having so much trouble with the scene?"

Mimori didn't answer.

"Mimori-san?" She prodded insistently.

The other actress muffled a groan, "…."

"I'm sorry, what?"

Mimori looked up, tears still in her eyes, and said louder, "I hate my character!"

Kyoko blinked furiously a few times, bewildered. "Why?"

"Because…" she snuffled slightly and then finally wiped her eyes completely clear and glared at Kyoko again. "Because," she repeated, "I wanted your part! I wanted to play the angel that falls in love with Sho-chan! I can't stand seeing you with him! And especially like that! I – I love Sho-chan! There's no way I can even pretend to kill him! And especially not for someone like _you_!"

Then she burst into tears again, her mascara smearing around her eyes.

Kyoko let out a harsh breath, glad to have finally got the problem out of her. '_But how am I supposed to fix something like this?'_ she wondered. '_What would Moko-san say…?' _She suddenly had a vision of Moko – quite literally – slapping some sense into the girl and actually found herself considering it for a moment before shaking off the urge.

Her best friend must be rubbing off on her.

While a part of her squirmed happily at the thought of having a _best friend_ - one that may or may not be rubbing off on her at that - again, the rest of Kyoko began to furiously think, looking for some way to motivate the other actress. She rather steadfastly ignored the little grudge demons as they began to whisper even more violent ideas in her ears – this little girl was getting in the way of her revenge against Shotarou! – and considered the sobbing actress with an outwardly blank face.

"You are an actress, right?" Kyoko suddenly asked, a miniscule amount of scorn rising in her eyes and audible in her voice. Mimori looked up at this and winced inwardly for some reason. "A professional? So why are you doing this?"

Mimori glared. "Of course I am!" she snapped back automatically, her tears stopping as she once again found her anger at the girl in front of her. "And I've been in this business longer than you have – so you have no right to lecture me!"

"Don't I?" Kyoko returned sarcastically. Mimori glared, her fury rising as the other girl continued. "You say you're a professional, but your mooning over a co-worker, throwing tantrums at every opportunity, and retreating to cry your eyes out when that doesn't work. You seem more like a spoiled little girl to me. You can't believe that that's what being an actress is all about." She continued, the derision in her voice continuing to rise.

Mimori's mouth dropped open in shock as Kyoko spoke, and continued to drop until it practically hit the floor as the girl continued, only taking a pause to catch her breath. '_How rude can you be…?_' she wondered, mouth opening and closing helplessly as she tried to muster up a response.

Finally, after quite a few attempts to cut in that Kyoko somehow managed to talk over, Mimori just shouted, "Shuuut up!" at the other girl. Mimori had risen to her feet during the rant, and was now standing over the other angel, breathing heavily.

Kyoko stood as well, momentarily silent, her eyes meeting the other's flatly. There was a kind of coldness in them that made Mimori flinch slightly – this was completely different from the rage that had taken over the normally golden-eyed girl earlier when she'd mentioned the relationship between her and Sho. If that rage was like dark flames, than this was more like ice had somehow enveloped her core.

"Am I wrong then?" Kyoko asked.

Mimori trembled slightly, but replied immediately, "Yes!"

"How? As far as I can tell, you're just here for Fuwa Sho. The fact that this is an actual acting job doesn't seem to mean anything to you." Kyoko responded, deadpan.

Mimori made to respond just as quickly once again, but suddenly paused, actually thinking of a truthful answer to the question. '_Why did I accept this job?_'

Kyoko let out a small smile that she quickly covered back up again as she saw that Mimori was actually thinking about the question seriously. It was working then…

"I love Sho-chan." The girl finally responded, her words hesitant and slow. "I accepted this job because Sho-chan asked for me. I'm famous enough these days that I don't need to accept small jobs in music videos to boost my popularity, though it doesn't hurt. I _am _here for him." She finished quietly.

"Then why are you ruining his music video?" Kyoko asked.

She winced inwardly as she asked the question. Guilt-tripping someone using _him_ was the last thing she wanted to do, but she was getting a bit desperate here. She had tried being sympathetic. She had tried using a Tsuruga Ren/Moko-san-deriding-lecture-on-your-own-faults™ to get some sort of reaction out of her. Neither had worked. Well, they had, but not well enough to her mind. So, this was plan C.

"I…" Mimori frowned, suddenly looking uncomfortable. "I'm not?" it sounding more like a question than an assertion, so Kyoko responded.

"You are. That was the eleventh take of the first scene that had all of us together in it. We haven't – _you_ haven't – gotten it right even once. Maybe you should be worrying less about my relationship with Fuwa Sho, and worrying more about your own performance – or lack there of."

Kyoko fell silent again as Mimori felt as if she'd been slapped upside the head by the other girl's words. She…was the reason filming wasn't going well… If she was holding Sho-chan back, would she be dropped from the project? Would he ever want to see her again if she failed him now?

She was suddenly terrified that he wouldn't. And, as horrible as watching Sho-chan and Kyoko together was, it would be even worse if she could never be near him again.

She would do anything for him.

Even watch him act with Kyoko. Even if sure still wasn't sure if it was an act at all.

Suddenly, Mimori glared up at Kyoko again and shoved a delicate finger towards the other girl's nose. Kyoko blinked rapidly a few times, her eyes almost crossing in an effort to keep to offending digit in sight. "I'm not doing this for you, or for anybody else. I'm doing this for Sho-chan. If he wants me to play this part, then I will, no matter how much I dislike it. I'll even pretend to…kill him…if I really have to. But don't _ever _think I'm doing this is because of you."

"Fine." Kyoko met Mimori eyes for a moment as she spoke. They locked their gazes in a brief but silent struggle before Mimori finally lowered her finger and looked away, her confidence in her words subsiding slightly at Kyoko's steady look. Kyoko then shrugged and turned to the door to leave. "But you should also remember…" she said as she opened the door, looking back over her shoulder at Mimori, who was watching her go, as she did, "…I get to 'kill' you too."

Then she stepped through the open door and closed it quietly behind her.

Mimori stared at the blank, flat surface for a long time before she finally followed the violet eyed angel from the room.

.-.

Kyoko grimaced uneasily as she left the dressing room behind in quick, slightly hurried strides.

Why had she said that?

Why did it even matter if she got to 'kill' Mimori?

She wasn't sure, but when Mimori had so proudly declared her love for Sho, something – something that felt eerily like how she felt when she was playing the angel – welled almost angrily in her chest, and she couldn't stop the words from coming out.

What was going on?

Then she glared over at where Shotaro was still being fussed over by make-up artists.

It was probably his fault.

She then dismissed the odd feeling and turned away from him and back to her own little entourage of make-up people. It wasn't like it was important anyway – and if it was, she'd just destroy it as she planned to do him.

.-.

"Action!"

Kyoko opened her eyes and looked up as Sho appeared beside her. She smiled joyfully at him, her mouth turning up gently and her eyes softening. He was perched on the wide ledge of the immense window at the end of the ancient looking hall. Sitting on the edge gracefully, one leg dangling out the opening, the other extended out, and leaning back against the frame, he then turned to her and extended his hand to her.

She took it and joined him on the sill. Settling herself quickly, she turned her head up to smile at him again before sighing happily and closing her eyes in bliss as she melted into Sho's side. His right arm wrapped around her shoulders firmly, the dull claws of his fingers pressing in against the bare skin of her upper arm.

Sho relaxed back onto the stone window-frame as Kyoko contentedly leaned into him, her legs curled beneath her and the tips of her feet poking out over the edge of the ledge. Her long white gown draped over his extended leg slightly as well as her own feet and somehow contrived to look rather elegant instead of carelessly messy. It then trailed off the edge of the window sill to end just above the rough floor of the ancient hall.

He looked down at the top of her head, nestled into the curve of his shoulder, for a time, an odd emotion swirling restlessly in his shuttered burgundy eyes. His other hand slowly reached across to where her long hair pooled on the ledge around her to tangle his fingers around a few of the soft strands. As his hand retreated, his fingers brought a lock back with them, continuing to play leisurely with them. As his claws moved away from her, his eyes turned away too, looking out the window, before slowly closing themselves as well.

Then Kyoko looked up, moving enough that Sho looked down at her questioningly. She smiled beatifically at him and leaned her head back on his shoulder.

His own eyes widened at the expression, though the emotion in them was unreadable, and eventually smirked slightly and said, "Comfortable?" He leaned down and kissed her softly on the top of her head.

"Mmmhmm," she hummed contentedly. She smiled even wider as he leaned back and burrowed into his side once more. Sho looked at her for a moment longer, before looking away and out the window once more. Now unseen by the wide hall and anyone in it, as well as the girl at his side, he frowned, that unreadable emotion still in his eyes.

Mimori, hidden by the turn of the corridor, leaned around it slightly to stare at them again before snapping back to her hiding place. Shock was visible on her face before realization, and then horror crossed it as well. She clapped one of her hands firmly to her mouth before she could make a sound and turned her head away.

She had seen – and heard – everything.

"Cut!"

Kyoko snapped back to reality at the exclamation, but before she could move away she found herself meeting Sho's eyes as he turned back to look down at her again. She froze at the serious expression on his face – she didn't think she had ever seen him look at her like that before.

Her eyes widened before she pushed reflexively at his chest. He let her go easily enough, and she quickly rose to her feet. She folded her arms over her chest as he rose beside her, but didn't look at him.

She opened her mouth to say something, anything – hopefully an insult of some kind – but for some reason her throat didn't seem to be working. Eventually she just shook her head slightly and moved away, swiftly heading down the corridor to where Asami was talking to Mimori.

That warm feeling in her chest, the one she got whenever she shifted to 'angel mode', as she was coming to call it, still hadn't gone away. What was going on!

…Maybe she was coming down with something… Had Tsuruga-san passed that cold onto her after all? She grimaced at the thought. She didn't have time to be getting sick! She grumbled under her breath as she moved past the director and her fellow actress with only a bare nod of acknowledgement.

Sho's eyes followed her the entire way.

.-.

"That was excellent Mimori!" Asami-san was saying as Sho stopped beside her. "Just what I was looking for. I don't think we'll need to go over than scene again. And Sho-chan," she continued, turning to him, "You were good as well – though I do wonder what Kyoko was doing to get such an expression on your face…" she teased.

He frowned at her, and ignored her words. "So what scene's next then?" he asked.

"The confrontation between Mimori and Kyoko's characters. You can sit this one out – go take a break or something." She smiled at him to soften the order slightly and he huffed and walked away.

Mimori watched him go, sadness in her eyes.

Naturally, she had been watching as they cuddled together, seen the blessed-out smile on Kyoko's face when she looked at Sho. And, while her head had told her it was an act, just Kyoko getting too in character, tried to remind her of Kyoko's anger at the very mention of a relationship between herself and Sho-chan…Her heart disagreed.

It saw the way Sho-chan looked at Kyoko, that indefinable tie between them that wouldn't let anyone interfere, the way Kyoko only seemed to get really agitated when something involved Sho…

An image of Sho gently kissing Kyoko's hair in a previous scene suddenly popped into Mimori's head, and she found herself unable to get rid of it. Those things were all happening on the other ends as well. She didn't think she had ever seen Sho-chan this flustered before…

She still wasn't sure what was going on between them, but something deep down inside her was screaming at her to distance herself from it before she got hurt – like her getting hurt was the only possible way it could end. She had the uneasy feeling that if this were a shoujo manga she was the rival girl that came in too late and would never get the guy…

Then she shook her head – no! _She _was the main character here! She would get the guy, and Kyoko was just the old childhood friend that would be left by the wayside.

Sho-chan would be hers. It was just a mater of time.

Right?

Right.

She did her best to solidify that in her mind. Now, for the next scene…

.-.

"Don't you get it! You will die if you stay with him!" Mimori shouted, desperate tears running down her face.

Kyoko just smiled; the expression somehow sad and happy all at once. "I know. But I'd rather die in his arms than be alive anywhere else in this world. Don't interfere, Mimori."

Kyoko turned and walked away as Mimori's face fell to be buried in her hands. When Kyoko was out of sight Mimori lifted her face again and wiped away her tears, a defeated kind of determination on her face.

Her resolution was made.

"Cut!"

Sho, looking on from where he was reclined on a chair, his feet propped up on another, struggled to keep his emotions in check. It wasn't really visible on his face, but his posture, despite the relaxed pose, was stiff, and his fists were clenched, though they were hidden by his folded arms.

Every word that was coming out of that girl's mouth, especially when she was acting, was tearing at his last nerve. How can she just…just…_say_ something like that! And while Mimori crying was, admittedly, a rather pitiful sight, it was more annoying than anything else.

But…

He could vividly remember the last time he saw Kyoko looking like that.

When he had told her he was going to Tokyo, he honestly hadn't originally planed on bringing her with him. He was planning to make his own way, and show his parents that he could become a musician without anybody else's help. But…she was his best friend, and he had been able to tell everything she was thinking as it flashed over her face when he told her of his decision.

There was a lot of happiness for him, because he was finally pursuing his dream; and worry, because she had known he was pretty much helpless when it came to anything really practical…like cooking, or doing his own laundry…

But there was an immense sorrow there too. He could practically hear the thought as it crossed her mind, '_I'm getting left behind…again…_' And, suddenly it was as if he had joined the group of people that had left her behind – one that included her mother.

He didn't think he hated anyone quite as much as he did Mogami Seana. Not even Tsuruga Ren.

Kyoko should never cry like that.

So then his mouth opened again, almost against his will, and suddenly Kyoko was coming to Tokyo with him. But she was happy again, and he was finally leaving Kyoto, so he was pretty damn content too.

That didn't last very long, of course, but it was how everything had started. It was hard to believe that that had happened not even two years ago. It felt like forever.

Thankfully though, he would have to have his eyes closed when she had to cry in the climax scene. He never could stand it when Kyoko cried…

He shook the thought off as Asami called him over to where Mimori and Kyoko where waiting to start the next 'scene'. He met Kyoko's eyes as he walked over and quickly looked away and toward one of the other women, burying years of memories of both her smiles and tears beneath an arrogant smirk.

He wouldn't let this affect him. This was just Kyoko, and it was just _acting_.

It wouldn't mean anything.

It _couldn't_.

And he downright refused to let himself think about _why_.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note<strong>

So, a month later than I was planning, but I still managed to get this up. The end of April and all of May were ridiculously busy for me, and the beginning of June was pretty bad as well. It went something like: Finals, Work, Vacation, Work, Getting my wisdom teeth (all four) removed, Work, The start of the summer semester, and (a lot) More Work. I was clocking in quite a few overtime hours this past week with everybody else taking time off for various and sundry graduations as well.

*…pause…* And congratulations to all those Grads reading, by the way.

But the _important_ thing is that I finally posted, so let's focus on that.

I admit, a lot of this chapter was admittedly character development, which, though necessary, may or may not be tedious. I hope it's not. There was plot advancement too though, so it's not like it didn't go anywhere, though I think I might have enjoyed getting inside Sho's head a bit too much...

…and I'm rambling. I'll stop her before it gets too excessive.

So, new chappie, you just read it, and the next will hopefully be out soon.

Bye-ya,

~ Aljan Moonfire


	5. Prisoner

_**Aljan Moonfire does not own Skip Beat!.**_

* * *

><p><em><strong>Chapter 5: Prisoner<strong>_

* * *

><p>"<em>Sho-kun!" Kyoko's smile lit up the air around her as she joyfully flung herself into his arms. She wrapped her own limbs around him tightly as he hugged her in return, leaning down to meet her height as he did so. Her face, hidden from his sight as she half-buried it in his shoulder, winced in pain, and she shivered slightly.<em>

"_Sho…" she repeated; her voice a soft mummer of intense affection that gave no hint of her discomfort. _

_He leaned back and reached up to cup her face, his claws softly brushing her jaw and hair-line. His lips turned up in a soft smile, and he leaned down to press his forehead against hers. "Kyoko." He returned, and her eyes closed at the sound of the low rumble of his voice. Her face relaxed, and his eyes slowly closed too._

.-.

_Sho watched her go, his eyes following her every movement until she was out of sight. Then he turned sharply at the sound of a rustle of cloth behind him and was brought up short at the sight of another, entirely unfamiliar, angel. _

_He scowled, "Who -?"_

"_My name is Mimori." She said shortly. _

_His eyes widened at the name. "Are you her -,"_

" – _best friend?" She cut him off again. "Yes. And that's why I'm here." She shook her head when all his face registered was a subtle confusion. "Kyoko didn't tell you anything, did she?"_

.-.

_She wrapped her hand around his throat and raised the knife, "Goodbye, Demon." _

_The blade fell as he closed his eyes, unresisting. This way… This way, she would live._

_Red splattered everywhere…and the world…went dark._

_.-._

_Mimori raised her crazed, blood splattered face from her deathly silent kill, and wide, dilated blue eyes but met shocked, horrified violet. _

_Mimori's eyes widened still further. _

"_Kyo…ko…?"_

_.-._

"_Sho-kun!" She shouted, desperately shaking his still figure. "Sho-kun! Sho! SHO!" Tears welled up in her eyes and poured down her face, sobs shaking her body and choking her voice. "Sho…" She almost keened the name as she dragged him towards her to cradle him in her arms, her hands and sleeves soaked such a deep red as to be almost black. "Sho-kun…" She whispered. "No…NO!"_

_And then she was suddenly still, and her head rose slowly to glare at the now darkly-winged angel that she had thrown aside in order to get to her lover's body. "You…you killed him." She whispered starkly._

_Kyoko gently lowered his body back to the ground. "You killed him." She repeated, standing. _

_Mimori, rising from where Kyoko had thrown her, just chuckled and admired the dark, wet blood that now decorated her hands. She grinned crazily, "So I did."_

_And Kyoko was at her throat, hands clutching at her collar, dragging the other angel forward to face her. "Why…Why!" she screamed. "I told you not to -," she panted for breath, almost incoherent with anger and grief. "Why!" And, staring into the eyes of the Fallen angel, she noticed, for the first time, the dried tear stains on her face._

_And suddenly Mimori's eyes were calm and sad; peering directly into Kyoko's still tearing ones. _

"_For you." _

_.-._

_Mimori fell almost slowly, her eyes never leaving those of her killer. She didn't even try to stop her fall with her wings._

_Kyoko turned away before Mimori hit the ground, tears still pouring in steady streams down her face._

_Her wings faded to the darkest of colors behind her, white and black fathers drifting in her wake. _

_.-._

_Kyoko slowly picked up the still bloody knife and knelt down next to his body, her sobs now long since faded. Slowly, she raised it before her._

"_She killed you, for me." She said softly, voice still hoarse from her sobs. "...__**For me**__, Sho-kun." She closed her eyes. "__**Because**__ of me." Her black feathered wings spread downwards behind her, making it seem as if she was slowly being devoured by the darkness. _

_She raised the knife. _

_.-._

Asami pressed the pause button with an almost trembling hand, stilling the image of Kyoko's 'suicide' mid-motion. She had been carefully observing the now CG-d playback, eyes wide and clutching a pen uselessly in her other hand - which hovered over an empty page in her notepad, fully ready to take note of any flaws she may have missed live the first time around.

Flaws, which she hadn't found.

This…this was beyond anything she could have expected. She blinked furiously, still slightly disbelieving, and looked over to where Kyoko was being attended to by various and sundry make-up personnel, who were struggling to remove the dried remains of the fake blood from her face.

When they had finished filming the climax of the video, and Kyoko lay silent next to the still – and, she slightly suspected, equally shocked - Sho, there had been a very long moment of silence. She had not been the only one shaken by the supposed newbie's performance; everyone on the set had been caught up in it, stunned by her expressions, by her obvious, sincere, emotions; irreversibly caught up in everything she said and did.

It was something she'd rarely heard of herself, and never even heard a hint of a rumor of in someone as young and supposedly inexperienced as Kyoko. Normally, even with very skilled and experienced actors, and even in the midst of intense scenes, there is always an assurance kept in the back of the mind that 'this is just acting – it's not_ real_'. It was very rare in and of itself that an actor, or multiple actors, were able to damage that reassurance.

Actors themselves normally kept themselves at a distance from the characters they play, always aware that this is an act – that, even to them, this _is not real_. Kyoko – as far as she could tell – didn't do that. Even in a music video – arguably something far less serious than a drama or a movie – she gave herself over completely to her character, to the script. She didn't _act out_ a character – _she became her character_.

It was…completely amazing – and slightly terrifying.

That girl… She looked back at the paused image – Black CG wings draped behind her, hooded eyes staring down at Sho, dagger raised high – and then at the real young woman again. Who _was _this girl?

Who was 'Kyoko'?

.-.

Sho fiddled irritably with the hairline of his wig, once again feeling the loss of the claws that had hampered his hands for most of the day – a loss he was blatantly grateful for. As he fussed at the now shorter silver-blond wig he had to wear for the last 'scene', he tried to focus his thoughts on the 'scene' and what he was going to be doing in it.

It was the last little clip of the music video; taking place just as the song ended. A little bit of an epilogue, hinting at other things that could have happened. It was romantic, he supposed, and would hopefully appeal to his fans; the 'lovers reunited' and all that. He didn't quite get it, but then, he also wasn't a girl. And from what he knew, girls were usually fascinated by this kind of thing, at least if Kyoko was any –

He cut his thoughts off even as her face flashed through his mind, again.

He'd been attempting to distract himself from the stupid girl that had refused to leave his thoughts all day – not think of her even more! He groaned inwardly. Needless to say, it wasn't working. He sighed, this time audibly, and finally, finally gave up. Thoughts of Kyoko immediately filled his mind, memories of both his childhood friend and the familiar stranger that had showed up for this job swirling around each other in his brain. It was as if an immense flood had been unleashed, and his mind was abruptly filled to the brim with the golden eyed girl he'd once thought he knew as well as he did himself. But, it seems that he didn't know her at all as well as he'd thought he did.

That she would be capable of something like - something like that…

It had been growing slowly ever since her first scene with Mimori, he finally admitted - if only to himself; this odd respect for her acting skill. At first, after their – his and Kyoko's, that is - first scene together, he had been curious, feeling challenged and very much up to matching her. If there was one thing he did well – besides his music, of course – it was flirt. He took pride in being able to make any woman he met blush for him. But in the last scene they had together (alive, that is)…

He growled slightly, his ego taking an enormous beating just by thinking it to himself.

But, just by saying his name… just by saying it like_ that_…

Well, he guessed that the way she had hung onto him had also played a part – he could still almost feel her small breasts molding into his chest, her delicate hands curling into fists at his back, as he thought of it (he was a teenage male, after all)… – but in that last scene there was nothing he could term, even to himself, as simple flirting. It had been all emotion, all tenderness.

He cursed inwardly and a grimace pulled at his lips. He had been pulled completely into her flow in that moment; in a way he had sworn not to be after Asami had forced him to acknowledge that she had one. A 'flow', that is.

And then, what came after… He drew a deep breath and sighed harshly on the exhale.

It had been easy enough to do the part with Mimori – all he had to do was look demanding, and then confused, and then close his eyes, basically. But, then suddenly she was there again, and all he could hear were her screams as she threw Mimori aside and began weeping over his – supposedly dead – body. And he'd frozen, as if he were as dead as was pretending to be.

He'd been immensely grateful in that moment that his eyes were already closed.

He never could stand it when Kyoko cried.

The whole time he had wondered if she was thinking of her mother in order to sob like that. But… the whole time, she'd also been crying out _his_ name. It had almost made him wonder how she'd react if he died for real. And then she had left his side – to 'kill' Mimori, he knew - and come back again. Then there was more fake blood splattering over him and she had collapsed beside him, almost on top of him. He could still almost feel her breath on his neck.

He stilled his thoughts for moment at the memory. …He had never seen – heard, he supposed – someone act like that. For a long moment, before he felt her breath, he'd been half-afraid that the blood was real – though he should have already _known_ that there was no way she'd kill herself over _him_.

The frown that had overtaken his face as he thought deepened into a scowl. He didn't want to acknowledge anything about her, even if just to himself. She was Kyoko – _his_ Kyoko: she wasn't supposed to have any real talents! And especially not any that she could even think of matching _his _with!

He huffed under his breath.

He'd always underestimated her a bit, he realized in retrospect, but who could really blame him. She'd been his best friend – at times, his only friend – but that had only been because she'd followed him around like a lost puppy. And that had sort of been how he'd seen her throughout their childhood; as a particularly loyal, well… dog.

She would have done anything for him at the drop of a hat, and he'd known it and taken advantage of it.

In a way he'd always loved her too; had cared when she cried, done his best to make sure that she was happy, when he noticed. But he was just a kid, and honestly, she was still a _girl_ – what'd you expect, him to dote on her as well? But above all, she had been _his_ – Mogami Kyoko had belonged to him. It had been a fact in his mind, and had stayed one for almost as long as he'd known her. It had seemed right, almost – though there had always been some guilt there too - to do what he liked with her. It wasn't like she'd ever complain; and no matter what he did, what he said, she'd always love him, always follow him, always just…be there.

But then one day he went too far, said too much, and suddenly she…_wasn't_ there anymore.

Even after she'd erupted at him at the studio, he hadn't thought she'd _really_ meant it – she was just angry, and she'd gotten mad at him before. He'd talk to her once she'd calmed down, and everything would go back to normal. It wasn't until he unlocked the door to the condo they'd been half-sharing and realized that all of her things were gone, that it had really sunk in. And even then, he'd just completely thrown himself into his work and hadn't allowed himself to even think of her again until he saw her face in lights up on the side of a skyscraper.

_He'd_ been the one to suggest her and that other girl in the commercial to Asami – _he_ was the reason she was here. He'd wanted to know – if it really was her (and it had been) - had she really meant what she'd said? Where had she gone? What was she doing? Did she – _could_ she – really hate him now?

But now, on giving it more thought, he guessed that he'd really done it because the first thought that had entered his mind when he'd seen her giant smile up on that giant screen was to wonder if she actually _was_ still following him – if she had really followed him straight into show business.

He grimaced. And he certainly had his answers. She_ did_ hate him. She _had_ meant it. He likely _was_ the reason why she was in show business. And as for where she'd gone and what she'd been doing… He had some idea, but he still didn't really _know_. And that both frustrated and confused him – frustrated him that he didn't know; confused him as to why he wanted to know so desperately to begin with.

But he did – he did want to know.

He'd fought against it of course – against her and her acting and the thought that maybe – _just_ maybe, mind you – that the last time he held her in his arms, and she'd said his name like that…

That maybe it really did mean something after all.

That maybe, she hadn't _just_ been acting.

And the thought lingered, somewhere in the continuously and stubbornly ignored part of his mind, that maybe he hadn't been either.

.-.

Kyoko held herself perfectly still before the mirror of the dressing room, letting (read: inwardly rejoicing) the make-up artists tend to the costume they were fitting around her. Violet eyes stared back at her from the mirror and she did her best to focus all of her attention on the magic the artists were casting on her. With quick strokes, the last of the fake blood was removed from her face, and she let her gaze drop down slightly to take in the new costume they had had her put on.

The school uniform was rather simple, to be honest - just a pleated black skirt that reached mid-thigh, a white blouse with a bright red bow loosely securing the collar, a fitted black blazer, knee-high socks that hugged her calves, and comfortable black shoes – but it was still immediately identifiable as what it was to anyone who looked. Since she was now actually going to high-school the uniform didn't induce the fantasies that had so absorbed her during the Curara shooting, but it still shot a shiver of pleasure down her spine to wear one every time she put one on, even if it wasn't the same as the one she actually went to school in.

She raised her gaze to meet her own eyes in the mirror and swiftly took in the subtle changes that came with each stroke of a brush against her skin or wig. The wig itself was different than the one that she had been wearing for the last several hours, the blonde wig having been switched for one of equal length, but a soft, light brown in color. She watched on as an artist pulled the thick hair of the wig into a similar style as the one she had been wearing earlier.

She blinked at herself in the mirror again – in less than half an hour she had gone from being a blood-stained angel to a simple school-girl. She smiled slightly – no matter what Moko-san said, make-up was magic, and the people who could really use it, magicians – or fairy-godmothers, depending on the situation (and gender).

She then sighed; even the distraction of the make-up wasn't enough to completely divert her thoughts this time. She still couldn't get it out of her head; the feeling of it from lingering on every inch of her skin…

Even now she couldn't quite believe what had happened, what she had done. She had been dreading what that part of the music video would be like to act out since…since even before she realized that Shotaro would be playing the demon. The depth of emotion that had to be shown in that segment compared to the others was immense, and she hadn't been at all confident of her ability to act it out. If _she_, herself, had never felt such depths of emotion, how could she believably act it out before a camera?

But, the moment the call for action reached her ears it was like the sensations that had been lingering in her chest since she first began acting opposite Sho unexpectedly erupted, completely overwhelming her. As if, in the space of an instant, her normal self was shunted to the side and the character she had been building in the back of her head took over her body.

And even then, that didn't exactly describe it, because she had felt _everything_ the angel had felt – or would have felt in that situation. In that moment, for the course of those 'scenes', Kyoko – the inexperienced actress, the girl that could barely stand to think of love in relation to herself – was 'Kyoko' the angel; confident and brilliant and glowing and very nearly _drowning_ in every emotion that practically erupted from her at the seams.

She had noticed it before of course, when she had briefly gotten so lost in her character that she didn't even realize what she was doing with Shotaro... But this? This seemed so different and so similar at the same time – and she still barely understood what had happened. She barely understood _herself_.

All she knew was that for that brief (_all too brief_) moment in time, she had been someone else entirely. And that rather than being afraid – though a slight tinge of panic at the utter _lack_ of control therein had traced her thoughts once she finally came out of it – she had been elated. She had absolutely _reveled_ it – in the sheer _emotion_ of it; in the passion and pain and sorrow and…and all the feelings that she hadn't thought she even _possessed_ any more – if she ever did to begin with.

And maybe she, herself, didn't – the thought had occurred to her more than once since. Maybe she would only ever be able to feel that much when she acted – when, for however brief a period of time, she simply _wasn't_ herself.

Kyoko would not love - would not _allow_ herself to love (_if it had hurt so much to be thrown aside when she hadn't even really been in love with the one who betrayed her, how much worse would it be if she really was?_). It had become an almost unconscious sub-routine in the back of her mind; one that had constantly come to light in her eyes over the past few months. She was an empty shell of a girl, one that didn't - couldn't – understand what it was like to feel something deeply.

But, it didn't precisely follow that the characters she played couldn't feel; couldn't love – because, at the heart of things (at least in her mind) the characters she has played (and _will_ play) were _not _Kyoko.

They would not carry her _curse_.

When Shotaro had thrown her away it had become solidified in her heart, this utter conviction – she was cursed, by circumstances, and by Fate, and perhaps even by her own nature. No matter what, her love was destined to be unreturned. It had nearly physically hurt to acknowledge it to herself, but even as she had she'd felt the truth of it in her heart.

No matter how much she gave away of herself, no one would ever give of themselves in return.

And when Shotaro had turned away from her, and the pain of it forced a piece of herself to die silently inside her… Well, in that instant that it was _hope_ that had finally left her behind, angry and hurt and resigned to the inevitable. When there was no hope, what was the point of even trying? If it was impossible for anyone to love her back, than she would not allow herself to love in the first place.

_When Pandora opened the box, all the evils of the world rushed to escape, and when she belatedly closed the lid, only Hope was locked inside… _

She didn't look at it that way consciously though; in Kyoko's mind it was simple: there was Love, and there was Kyoko, and the two just didn't – no, _couldn't_ - mix.

And on top of that, there was Shotaro.

Shotaro, who, as if to spite her rage, was still so tangled up in everything she was that she was still finding pieces of him that he'd left behind in everything she did. And also with Shotaro came her reason for even beginning on this path: revenge (_and she would get her revenge_). And even on top of that there was the tightly knotted ball of feelings that always came to rest in her gut at the mere thought of him, that she knew she would never – could never - try to sort out.

And that was it.

For her it wasn't complicated at all, even if it did still hurt slightly, and she quickly pushed even that pain away. She opened her eyes - suddenly realizing that she hadn't noticed when she'd closed them - as the final make-up artist finally said she was done. She would act her part (_become_ her part) and, if not outshine, then at least match the bane (the motivation) of her existence on a stage of her own choosing.

She glanced at the violet eyes in mirror once more as she stood.

It was time to end this.

.-.

As Shoko edged her way around the camera teams to stand with her fellow manager – Mimori's being the only one there, as Kyoko didn't seem to have her own yet, though she was sure it was just a matter of time – she did her best to keep an eye on Kyoko and Sho as she did so.

It was there, she was sure of it.

The chemistry was there. It moved between them, even when they were on opposite sides of the room. She was surprised, actually, that she seemed to be one of the only people there that saw it, even when they weren't filming. If she had to compare it to something, it would probably be lightning – harsh, dangerous, and electric; warding people off even as it inexorably connected the two them together.

There was history there too – undeniable and mysterious, except to the two of them. She always had to restrain herself from asking Sho what had happened between the two of them, for them to have ended up like this.

The only thing that she could see that made them seem like something less than lovers, would be affection – but even that, she saw hints of sometimes. The way they could read each other, the tenseness she'd seen in Sho after the suicide scene, the almost competition that had sprung up between Kyoko and Mimori (no matter how much the other crew members would call it one-sided, she could tell that, at least in part, in wasn't)…

It was there.

She moved her attention briefly to the scene the crew members were just touching up before filming. It was a stage – one of the low ones that people sometimes set up on the sides of the street; convenient and easy to set up and take down. It took up most of the fake sidewalk and faced the street.

Sho's band members were checking their instruments there as well. Between the sounds of them checking their equipment and the rest of the crew, it was rather noisy, as some of the later would be acting as extras in the scene.

She ran it over in her head, as she was sure Sho, and maybe Kyoko, were at that very moment. Sho would play his song with the rest of the band, and cuts of them playing would be thrown in between the scenes that had already been shot. Towards the end, Kyoko and Mimori would move up through the crowd, Kyoko would catch Sho's eye, and they'd watch each other, fascinated. As he sang the last notes, he'd detach his mike from the stand and move forward to reach out to her. She'd take his hand and be pulled up onstage with him, and they'd stare at each other – 'held prisoner in each other's eyes', and finally remembering – as the camera faded out.

She watched them for a moment longer, taking the time to note the newest transformation Kyoko had gone through, before Asami came up from behind her, passed her with Mimori in tow, and began to speak to said girl, Sho and Kyoko – likely going over the last part with them one last time.

She knew they'd likely get it in one take – Kyoko was too good an actress, and Sho too fascinated by her for them not to. Mimori…well, since Kyoko had finally been revealed as herself, she become more of an afterthought than anything else to Shoko, but she'd done very well in her last few takes, so she shouldn't have any problems either.

She caught Sho's gaze lingering on Kyoko again, as well as the quick, subtle glances said girl occasionally sent him when he wasn't looking and smiled to herself. Yes, she thought, they suited each other very well indeed. She had been worried about him recently. After Kyoko had overhead them and then proceeded to disappear, he had almost seemed to be forcing himself into a lot of the behaviors that had previously come naturally to him. Surprisingly, his music had almost been better than ever, but it became almost all he appeared to want to think about.

Because of his dismissive attitude towards her, she hadn't even considered Kyoko to be the cause of it, but she supposed she had been wrong. She smiled slightly. It seemed she wouldn't have to worry as much anymore.

She then winced almost imperceptibly as the glances intercepted and quickly became glares.

Then again, maybe she should worry more than ever.

.-.

Sho leaned further into the microphone and closed his eyes as he sang; the only English line of the song ringing stridently through the air with only a slight accent as the guitars and keyboard played to the harsher beat of the drums in the background, "_I'm a prisoner…in paradise…"_

He opened his eyes to stare into the small audience his eyes coming to a rest on Kyoko as she came closer to the front of the crowd. "_You've been pierced by…all of my darkness and my lies…"_ the Japanese lyrics almost felt harder to pronounce; he almost choked on the truthfulness of them when her eyes finally met his. "_I'm a prisoner…in paradise…"_

Her eyes widened slightly and her brow creased in confusion as he sang directly to her, "_There's a thorn in me…that will never be pulled out…"_ He smiled slightly and closed his eyes again briefly before deftly detaching the mike from its stand and moving towards the edge of the small stage. "_I dedicate…this life to you…and I will never…ever…leave your side…!_"

He reached out his hand to her and, slowly, she stepped forward and took it. "_Because of this…cruelly, beautiful thing…called love…"_ He lowered the microphone from his lips and, taking a step back as he did so, pulled her up onto the stage with him. More suddenly than he had expected, she was beside him, stumbling slightly as she tried to regain her balance. He wrapped an arm around her waist as he steadied her. She reflexively placed a hand on his chest as well and looked up into his eyes again.

An endless moment passed as they stood there, unmoving, as the music slowed behind him.

"And…cut! That's a wrap, boys and girls!" Asami called out.

At her words Kyoko started and pulled away from Sho, turning her head to avoid his gaze. She quickly took a few steps back from him as his expression morphed into something between a puzzled frown and his customary smirk. She glanced back to stare again, suddenly wondering at the lyrics of the song he had just sang. She knew she shouldn't read anything deeper into it, but still…in places, it almost felt like he was…

She quickly averted her gaze once more, wrestling with the strange feelings in her chest as she hopped down off the small stage again. She almost didn't even notice as Asami approached, smiling widely and already speaking. As she reached the young woman, Asami noticed her distraction and leaned down slight to speak closer to face to face. "Kyoko-chan?" she asked, slightly concerned, as she met said girl's eyes more clearly. "Kyoko-chan, are you listening to me?"

"Ah!" she said, surprised, before nodding, "Yes, I was."

Asami raised a brow skeptically, but didn't saying anything further about it. The woman continued to congratulate her on her performance and thank her for accepting the job before moving on to speak to Sho. Kyoko brushed past Mimori without a word, ignoring the other girl's stare on her back as she walked away towards the dressing room.

.-.

Mimori hesitated slightly before the closed door of Sho's dressing room, her expression slightly crumpled as she thought about the last scene. Sho had looked so cool up there, so hot, so amazing, that she'd had to fight really hard not to squeal in amazement. As she had moved closer to the stage with Kyoko, her excitement had grown even more. It was like being at one of his amazing concerts, right in the front row. When they finally got really close though, towards the end on the song, she had almost forgotten that it was supposed to be part of an act.

So, when Sho had at last looked down towards the front, she had been sure that his eyes would land on her…but instead it had felt like Sho had looked right past her. Like he hadn't even seen her at all. His eyes had landed right on Kyoko and hadn't moved for the rest of the song. It didn't even occur to her until after the director called for the wrap that they were supposed to be acting. It was like it had really happened – like, right before her eyes, Sho had chosen his childhood friend over her.

But they were acting. They had to have been acting. Everything she had done to earn his affections would mean nothing if they weren't. Everything…even pretending to kill Sho would have meant nothing.

They were acting, she carefully told herself. Acting.

She took a deep breath and pasted a bright and happy expression on her face before raising her hand to knock on the door. When she did, she was surprised to see it open slightly with just that. Her expression brightened into something a bit more real as she heard Sho give a brief grunt of acceptance of the intrusion from inside. Perhaps he had been waiting for her?

"Sho-chan ~!" she called out as she entered, a smile erupting over her face. "Thank you for the hard work!" she continued, even as she saw the anticipation disappear from his face. "I hope to work with you again soon!" she finished the polite words cheerfully.

Sho just stared at her blankly for a moment before speaking, "….What? So it's just you?" he raised his magazine again and sank back down on the lounge chair.

Mimori felt her heart break slightly at his reaction before anger swiftly replaced it, "So…so mean! What do you mean, 'So it's just you'?! Who were you expecting to come?!"

He paused for a minute, expression still hidden by the magazine. "….I'm not expecting anyone."

"Liar!"

"It's the truth." He returned evenly, though his thoughts were completely to the contrary. '_Now that I think more about it, there's no way she would go looking for me of her own accord. The acting must have thrown me off…'_

Mimori's face crumpled once more at the obvious lie. '_Liar…you were really…waiting for that girl…'_ Suddenly, she really wanted to cry. "Sho…"

At the sound of his name he glanced over at the girl, who now had an obviously depressed aura hanging around her as she shrunk into the door. "Hey, what wrong now?"

Mimori glanced over at him again. "…Because…you…she…" she murmured softly, unable to put words to the thoughts that spun through her mind – of him and _her_ and… She couldn't restrain the soft sob that erupted from her throat.

Sho just sighed exasperatedly in reaction. "How troublesome…" he got up a moved to stand behind her before patting her on the head. "What's wrong?"

She was silent for a moment, seemingly debating something. "Sho-kun," she then said softly.

"Yeah?"

"Ki – kiss me…" she blushed heavily.

"Okay, sure. C'mon, turn around." He pulled her to face him and went for a peck on the lips.

"Noooooo!" she pushed him away, and he stared at her, utterly bewildered.

"Do you want it or not?!" he yelled back.

"I don't want such a casual kiss!" she cried, before bursting into sobs. '_I can't feel any affection what so ever! I want a passionate, lover's kiss, but…! He doesn't even…'_

"What?" he stared at her, once more annoyed. '_So weird…God, this is so troublesome…'_ he shook his head slightly, "What's wrong with you?" He grimaced slightly, '_And this is why I like older women...'_

Ignoring her soft sobs and protests, he pulled her into his arms and said, "Please stop crying…you make things so difficult for me, Mimori…" Mimori immediately melted in bliss at the feel of his arms around her. Sho snorted inwardly at how easy it had been to calm her down, '_But no matter what their age, it's so easy to please a girl…for me at least.'_

He looked up then, suddenly feeling like he was being watched. He started and immediately dropped the previously sobbing girl when he met Kyoko's eyes.

Mimori's manager, who had been walking not far behind Kyoko, quickly hurried to take the girl away, worried that she was sick or drunk, not having seen Sho hug her. As she was hauled away, Mimori opened her eyes, and the only thing she saw was Sho, standing far too close Kyoko. She immediately closed them again, and began to sob in earnest. The hug…his words…they hadn't meant anything after all. All Sho saw…was _her._

_.-._

Kyoko watched Mimori's manager flee with her charge for a moment before turning back to the blond. "That gave me shock." She said sarcastically. "Never knew you had it in you – and you seemed rather good at it too."

"Huh?"

"That amazing ability you have: to be able to stop a girl's tears in seconds..."

'_She…how long was she there?'_ he suddenly cursed himself for not closing the door again.

"It seems like your gentleness only ever had a price…for me." She stated stoically.

"You…you're talking about when we were kids?"

"Yeah." She gave a slightly sad smirk, "You could only ever stand and watch me cry with that dumbstruck look on your face."

He almost flinched at the almost-accusation. "Th – That was..!" he inhaled deeply and, suddenly remembering his previous thoughts about the girl in front of him, did his best to actually vocalize everything he was thinking. "It's not like I only know how to stand and watch stupidly when you cry...it's because I never knew what to do!"

She raised an eyebrow at the seemingly contradictory statement and then had to resist the urge to step back when he slowly began to move closer to her. "Even if you never said anything," he continued, only pause when he saw her face begin to twist slightly at the thought of her mother.

He tried again, "I didn't think I had any right to try and console you, when I always basked so blatantly in the love of my own parents. I thought, it might just seem like I was…boasting, or…" he finally trailed off just as he reached out to touch her arm.

She caught the movement out of the corner of her eye, and drew away just enough to force him to abort the motion. She then closed her eyes, and responded, "I would have been grateful, I think, even if you thought it might have sounded off. But I already knew all that. So, naturally, I did my best to never cry in front of you again – because I didn't want to make things hard for you."

She opened her eyes to hold his gaze as solidly as she could as he processed that, suddenly realizing that she had never admitted that to him before. "So, that means…" Sho began slowly, "…that when you went missing sometimes, you actually went somewhere else to cry?"

"…Yes."

He stared thoughtfully down at her for a moment before sighing. "…You…idiot…"

"What? Why am I suddenly an idiot?! You're the idiot he –"

He reached out and grabbed her upper arms, shaking her slightly, still stuck by the realization, "Do you really think it would have troubled me that much to help you, you absolute idiot! You were my best friend – do you really think I would have minded…?!"

"-re, and let me tell…you…" she stared up at him blankly, trying to process what he just said. "What?"

He shook her again. "Do you really think that I wouldn't have tried to comfort you somehow if you had just let me?"

"I…" She shook her head, "I…What?"

"Despite everything, you were still my best friend back then. Even I'm not that bad."

"No." Kyoko said. "No." It wasn't a statement that merited a response in her mind. Even as he opened his mouth again, she immediately flared up in confused, almost panicked, outrage. "No, you were the one who said that I didn't mean anything to you – that you just brought me along with you as a… No." She glared heatedly, her demons rising around her slightly in an ominous aura. "How…how dare you try and…"

Confused himself, and struggling to keep up with the sudden mood-swing, Sho reflexively glared back. "How dare I try and…what?"

She growled incoherently and turned and stalked off, mumbling under her breath. Sho raced to catch up with her, chasing her a good few meters before he caught up with her. He grabbed her shoulder and spun her around. "How dare I…what?" he repeated.

She glared up at him and shouted, "It's none of your business! Now stop following me! How disgusting!"

"Disgust-!" Sho growled back, suddenly just as angry. "The disgusting one is you – wearing such a god-awful uniform…!" He quickly shot off the insult at the only thing that grabbed his immediate attention.

They two teens, suddenly locked in a different kind of debate all together, didn't even notice as Shoko and Asami approached from the opposite end of the hall. The two women certainly noticed them though. "Eh?" said Asami, "its Kyoko and Sho – no wonder they weren't at the lounge; they must have been here…" He voice trailed off as the other two continued shouting, their voices growing louder and softer in turns as the argument progressed. Shoko and Asami watched on in fascination as they inched ever closer to each other.

"At first I thought you were a stranger, so I held back, but since it was really you all along, I'll be frank! That uniform is embarrassingly ugly! You really have no taste – that thing should have never been put on a human being!"

"Wh – What?!" unable to come up with a defense for the uniform she herself hated, or any insults for what he was wearing himself, she shot her insult straight at him. "As the worst human being _ever_, you have absolutely no right to criticize _me_! This is what the company told to wear! And you also have no right to tell me I have no taste – I _swear_, I'll announce it to the whole world: that your real name is Fuwa Shot-"

His eyes widening rapidly at the threat, he quickly jumped to seal her mouth shut with his hand. "If you dare tell anyone…" he said menacingly, an aura almost equal to her own erupting from him, "I'll also let out a secret that will kill any reputation you'll ever manage to gain. I'll say," he whispered, "that your stage name, 'Kyoko', came about because the only things you suggested were names like 'Princess Cindy' (short for Cinderella) and Princess Rose (From Sleeping Beauty) - things that your company couldn't use in a million years!" Her eyes widened in horror and he grinned, "That's what I'll say!"

"How…how did you know…?" she whispered in horror.

"What? You mean that really happened?" he laughed, loudly, "Then I'll be doubly sure to publicize it!"

"Gah…You…!" She screamed, "You mean you were just guessing?! You cowardly, cunning, man!"

"Keh! Yeah, and you were dumb enough to fall for it!" he laughed even louder as he dodged the punch she sent at him, still grinning widely.

Shoko and Asami continued to stare. "…Are you guys…still going out?" Asami asked loudly, freezing them in their tracks. They immediately turned on her.

"I'm not going out with him – and why is it 'still'? We were never really going out to begin with!" Kyoko exclaimed at the same time Sho growled, "You just had to look to know we were only arguing – what are saying?"

Asami just raised a skeptical brow and thought, '_Anyone who saw that would think it was just normal bantering between couples…_'

Shoko had an almost identical look on her face, thinking, '_They looked so happy and innocent though, even if they were arguing. I've never seen Sho look like that before…'_

"More importantly though, to me this idiot," They declared at the same time, "is an Either-You-I-Die-Enemy!"

There was an awkward pause as they realized they had said the exact same thing at the same time and Shoko faintly thought, '_And what's that – something like a mortal enemy?_'

Then they once more turned to each other and shouted, "Stop copying me!"

Asami just smiled at them, like they were two children trying to keep a secret that she already knew, and said, "Alright, alright…Anyway, I came to find you two. We're having a small get together in the lounge to celebrate some before we all head home, as the actual filming is over ahead of schedule. All that's really left is the editing…and the publicizing, which you won't be needed for." She directed the last part at Kyoko.

Kyoko, now steadfastly ignoring the still fuming Sho nodded interestedly and said, "Of course I'll come. I'd like to at least say good bye to everyone before leaving."

Asami smiled back and they walked off together, chattering happily, and leaving a slightly annoyed Shoko to try and calm Sho down. As soon as they disappeared around the corner, Sho immediately dropped his angry expression and sighed in relief. He glanced at the now confused Shoko and smiled slightly. "Thanks," he said quietly.

Shoko just stared at him, "For what?"

He glanced away, "For coming when you did…that would have ended…badly…" He snorted inwardly, '_Yeah, and awkwardly…and loudly, knowing her.'_

"Oh?" Shoko made an interested sound. "Did something happen?"

He flushed very lightly, vividly remembering what he'd actually ended up saying to his childhood friend. He immediately turned away, trying to hide the flush, and walked away. "No! Nothing happened!" He called back over his shoulder.

Shoko, who had seen the blush, despite his efforts, immediately raced to catch up with him. "Sho…! Come on, tell the truth here!"

"Nothing happened!"

"Really?"

"Yes!"

"…Really?"

"…"

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note<strong>

* * *

><p>So, yeah, I finally managed to squeeze this one out of my head – feels like I've been working on it for forever and a half, though.<p>

I'm a bit worried about your reception of it, because, to be honest, a hell of a lot happened this chapter. I hope you like my Sho and Kyoko monologues – and my reasoning/portrayal of how they think, and how they think of each other. I hope you like what I kept of canon towards the end. I hope you liked the other POVs I threw in there. To be honest, I just hope you like it – I feel like I've been looking at it for too long, so at the moment I'm not too sure of my own feelings on it.

Either way, I hope you take the time to review.

~ Aljan Moonfire


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